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intriguer

intriguer

1 8.9
A person who secretly plans to trick others for personal gain
  • noun
  • /ɪnˈtrɪɡər/
translation icon : intrigante
  • He would steer everyone to clear waters, rip the masks off the intriguers' faces.

Examples

  • This blind thinking in ideology leads to blind following in action, which was conveniently exploited by a handful of intriguers and counterrevolutionaries.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Known as an intriguer, he was always plotting ways to gain more power.

  • With his supporters, he would see to it that by January not a single intriguer would be left in the Association.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • You would use your influence to assist this intriguer?

    Fiction book (1992)
  • During this period of turmoil and violence, instigated by a handful of intriguers, they ignored the constitution and the laws, established any organization, demonstrated anywhere, and occupied any place as they pleased.

    Academic text (1990)
  • "Beware, madam, of the witty devil, the arch intriguer who walks disguised in a poet's cloak, his gay tongue oozing evil."

  • The most active of these was the Rev. William Smith, an inveterate intriguer, virulent polemicist, and longtime foe of the Quakers, who was notoriously ambitious to become the first Anglican bishop in the American colonies.

    Academic text (2000)
  • As an intriguer, she skillfully manipulated events to secure her own advantage.

  • The political intriguer devised a plan to undermine his rival's campaign.

Synonyms

weasel
vsintriguer
  • Offensive
64 7.9

A person who is sneaky and dishonest, often trying to trick others

involves active secret planning rather than general evasiveness
con artist
vsintriguer
40 4.8

A person who tricks people by gaining their trust to take their money or valuables

is wider, covering secret plotting beyond gaining trust for fraud
conspirator
vsintriguer
36 6.2

A person who secretly plans with others to do something illegal or harmful

covers secret plotting broadly, not only illegal joint plans
trickster
vsintriguer
20 6.0

A person who lies to or cheats others, often to have fun

is more about deliberate secret plotting than playful deception
shyster
vsintriguer
  • Offensive
14 9.9

A person, often a lawyer or politician, who acts dishonestly to get what they want

is focused on secret plotting rather than primarily unethical profession behaviour
plotter
vsintriguer
11 6.4

A person who plans a secret illegal or harmful act

is broader, including plots for manipulation or personal advantage
designer
vsintriguer
  • Archaic
11 8.2

A person who plans secret actions to harm or cheat others

is the general idea of secret plotting often for manipulation
schemer
vsintriguer
  • Offensive
9 7.0

A person who secretly plans to get what they want by tricking others

focuses on plotting often for personal gain rather than general planning
puppet master
vsintriguer
  • Offensive
9 7.9

A person who secretly controls other people and their actions

emphasizes direct personal plotting rather than only hidden control
coconspirator
vsintriguer
  • Jargon
7 7.3

A person who helps plan something illegal with others

also applies to single persons who scheme alone
agent provocateur
vsintriguer
3 9.9

A person who secretly encourages others to break the law to make them look guilty

is broader, indicating plotting for personal or manipulative gain
slickster
vsintriguer
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who seems friendly but tricks others to get what they want

leans more toward planned secret plotting rather than general cunning
conniver
vsintriguer
  • Formal
1 8.4

A person who secretly plans and helps with illegal actions

includes individual plotting as well as group cooperation
cabalist
vsintriguer
1 9.9

A person who takes part in secret plots by a small group

covers any scheming person, not only secret group members
angler
vsintriguer
  • Offensive
1 8.5

A person who secretly tries to get an advantage by tricking others

matches closely but the key more often implies secret plotting
bamboozler
vsintriguer
  • Informal
1 7.8

A person who tricks or cheats people, often as a joke

is similar but often more serious and aimed at manipulation or gain
machinator
vsintriguer
  • Formal
9.9

A person who secretly plans to harm or trick others

is similar but not limited to group conspiracies
colluder
vsintriguer
8.5

A person who secretly helps others do something illegal

can be individual or collective plotting, not only collusion
wire-puller
vsintriguer
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who secretly controls others to get what they want

is more about creating plots and schemes than only influence
puppetman
vsintriguer
  • Offensive
9.6

A person who secretly controls people from behind the scenes

focuses more on making plans than only on hidden control
finagler
vsintriguer
  • Offensive
9.8

A person who gets things by tricking or lying to others

is similar but stresses secret plotting rather than only clever trickery
Mayberry Machiavelli
vsintriguer
  • Informal
9.9

A friendly-looking person who secretly tricks others to gain power

is about scheming broadly, not necessarily hiding behind a friendly face

How Scheming

conspirator
36 6.2
plotter
11 6.4
intriguer
1 8.9
schemer
  • Offensive
9 7.0
manipulator
  • Offensive
24 6.2

Surface Forms

intriguer singular
intriguers plural

Morphology

intriguer = intrigue (transparent) = intrigue + er

An agentive noun formed by adding the productive suffix '-er' to the verb 'intrigue', yielding 'one who schemes'.

Etymology

Intriguer comes from old Italian intrigare and Latin intricare, which mean 'to tangle' or 'to entangle'. So an intriguer is like someone who quietly 'tangles' people and events with secret plans to gain power or advantage.