noun
guile
gyl
noun
1
Clever, often sly or dishonest, cunning used to deceive or manipulate.
"He got the deal done through sheer guile rather than honest negotiation."
"She saw through his guile immediately."
How to Use Guile
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCrafty, deceptive cleverness — getting your way through trickery rather than force.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "guilt," which is about responsibility for wrongdoing, not cunning.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
use guile
full of guile
without guile
Word Forms
guiled past tense, guiles plural, Guiles plural, guiles singular
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He got the deal done through sheer _____ rather than honest negotiation.
Etymology
From Old French guile ("deception"), ultimately from a Frankish word for "ruse," related to "wile."