Artifice
hardNegative toneAHR-tuh-fis
noun
Definition
Clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially to deceive; trickery
Memory hook
ARTI-FICE: artificial and FAKE — clever trickery disguised as skill.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The con artist's success depended on elaborate artifice.”
“Behind the artifice of her smile lay genuine hostility.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The con artist's success depended on elaborate ______.”
Show answer
artifice
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Artifice is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "guile" or "cunning" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "candor".
Related GRE Words
chicanery
The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose
duplicity
Deceitfulness; double-dealing
subterfuge
Deceit used to achieve one's goal; a trick
guile
Sly or cunning intelligence; craftiness in deceiving others
dissemble
To conceal one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs; to feign
equivocate
To use ambiguous language to avoid committing to a position; to be deliberately vague
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