Ploy

Pronunciation: /plɔɪ/

Definitions of ploy

noun a cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one's own advantage

Example Sentences

A1 She used a clever ploy to win the game.

A2 His ploy to get out of doing his homework failed.

B1 The company's marketing ploy was successful in attracting new customers.

B2 The politician's ploy to gain votes backfired when the truth was revealed.

C1 The CEO's ploy to increase profits involved cutting corners and risking quality.

C2 The spy's intricate ploy to infiltrate the enemy's headquarters was nearly flawless.

Examples of ploy in a Sentence

formal The company's latest marketing ploy was met with mixed reviews from industry analysts.

informal I see right through your little ploy to get out of doing the dishes.

slang Nice try with that ploy, but I'm not falling for it.

figurative Her charm was just a ploy to get what she wanted.

Grammatical Forms of ploy

• past tense: ployed
• plural: ploys
• comparative: ployer
• superlative: ployest
• present tense: ploy
• future tense: will ploy
• perfect tense: have ployed
• continuous tense: is ploying
• singular: ploy
• positive degree: ploy
• infinitive: to ploy
• gerund: ploying
• participle: ployed

Origin and Evolution of ploy

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'ploy' originated from the Middle English word 'ploye' which means 'a maneuver or stratagem'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'ploy' has come to be used to describe a cunning plan or tactic used to achieve a specific goal, often in a deceptive or manipulative way.