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Definition of "stratagem" [strat•a•gem]

  • A military maneuver designed to deceive or surprise an enemy. (noun)
  • A clever, often underhanded scheme for achieving an objective. See Synonyms at wile. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "stratagem" in a sentence
  • "Can regulators distinguish this kind of stratagem from the case of fair and justified engineering decisions that happen to cause a little temporary jitter?"
  • "If this adjustment in stratagem saved the lives or mission of just one crew, I would be thankful to God."
  • "The famous Duguesclin is said to have taken the town by stratagem from the English."