Trickery means using clever but dishonest methods to deceive someone or get what you want. When a con artist uses trickery to steal someone's money, they might pretend to be a bank official or invent a fake emergency. When a student uses trickery to avoid doing homework, they might forge a parent's signature or make up an elaborate excuse about a computer crash.

The word suggests more than a simple lie. Trickery involves scheming, planning, and manipulation. A magician uses skillful techniques that look like trickery but are just illusions meant to entertain. Real trickery, though, involves tricking someone for selfish gain.

In stories and fables, trickery often backfires. The boy who cried wolf used trickery to get attention, but when real danger came, nobody believed him. Clever villains in fairy tales rely on trickery because they lack the strength or courage to get what they want in an honest way.

You might also hear about political trickery or legal trickery, where someone uses sneaky tactics within rules and systems.