Meaning & use

gambit

noun·Advanced

An action or remark, especially in negotiation or chess, intended to gain an advantage, often through an early sacrifice.

See it in a sentence

Offering a small discount upfront was just an opening gambit in the negotiation.

The chess player's bold gambit sacrificed a pawn to control the center of the board.

A note on using this word

Gambit comes from chess, where a player deliberately sacrifices a piece early for a later strategic advantage.

Words with a similar meaning

ploytactic

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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