Artifice means clever trickery or deception. When someone uses artifice, they're being crafty and dishonest, hiding their true intentions behind false appearances. A con artist might use artifice to convince someone to hand over money, or a student might use artifice to avoid getting in trouble by making up an elaborate excuse instead of telling the truth.

The word suggests more than simple lying. Artifice involves skill and planning: creating a false story, putting on a convincing act, or carefully arranging things to mislead others. In the folktale “Puss in Boots,” the clever cat uses artifice to convince everyone that his poor master is actually a wealthy nobleman, setting up elaborate tricks and telling strategic lies.

Sometimes artifice appears in phrases like “without artifice,” which means someone is being genuine and straightforward. If your friend acts “without artifice,” they're being honest and real, not putting on a show or trying to manipulate you.

While artifice always involves deception, it's different from casual fibbing. It's calculated and deliberate. The word reminds us that the cleverest deceptions aren't simple lies but carefully constructed false realities meant to fool others.