Ploys

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A series of clever strategies or schemes is crafted to outsmart competitors or achieve desired outcomes
2. Artful maneuvers or deceptive tactics are designed to influence situations or attain particular objectives
3. Cunning strategies or tricks are employed to manipulate circumstances or secure advantageous results

Etymology: "Ploys" is the plural of "ploy," a noun whose origin is obscure. It first appeared in English in the 1800s, and the Oxford English Dictionary records it as a Scottish and northern English word meaning a prank, a bit of fun, or a bustling activity, which later drifted toward its present sense of a clever scheme. The word's earlier history is uncertain: it may be connected to the Scots "ploy," meaning an escapade, though the exact ancestry has never been settled.

Synonyms: tactics, strategies, schemes, maneuvers, plans

Antonyms: honesty, straightforwardness, openness, simplicity, clarity