sleight of hand
noun phrase
1
a
: a cleverly executed trick or deception
b
: a conjuring trick requiring manual dexterity
2
a
: skill and dexterity in conjuring tricks
b
: adroitness in deception
Examples of sleight of hand in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
They were promised a story, a fiction, a sleight of hand, a shuffling of letters that altered reality.
—
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
There’s a sequence near the end that is both graceful and devastating in equal measure, a bit of directorial sleight of hand that aims right for your heart and hits the bull’s-eye.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2024
Watching her play was like watching a musician pull off increasingly sophisticated sleights of hand, but what truly distinguished Williams wasn’t the spectacle of her performance but the clarity of her compositions.
—Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024
In this scenario, your AC unit would be engaged in a gentle sleight of hand.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sleight of hand 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
There’s a sequence near the end that is both graceful and devastating in equal measure, a bit of directorial sleight of hand that aims right for your heart and hits the bull’s-eye.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2024
Watching her play was like watching a musician pull off increasingly sophisticated sleights of hand, but what truly distinguished Williams wasn’t the spectacle of her performance but the clarity of her compositions.
—Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024
In this scenario, your AC unit would be engaged in a gentle sleight of hand.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sleight of hand
Articles Related to sleight of hand
Dictionary Entries Near sleight of hand
Cite this Entry
“Sleight of hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleight%20of%20hand. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share