What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
gimmick
Example
The new restaurant's gimmick is that all the food is served on miniature plates. [gimmick: noun]
Example
The politician's campaign relied heavily on gimmicks and catchy slogans. [gimmicks: plural noun]
ploy
Example
The chess player's ploy to sacrifice a pawn paid off in the end. [ploy: noun]
Example
She used a clever ploy to get her boss to approve her vacation request. [ploy: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Gimmick is more commonly used than ploy in everyday language, especially in marketing or advertising contexts. Ploy is less common but can be used in a wider range of situations.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between gimmick and ploy?
Both gimmick and ploy are relatively informal words, but ploy may be slightly more formal due to its association with strategic planning and cleverness.
