Subterfuge

Meaning

Deceit used to achieve one's goal; a trick or scheme employed to conceal something or to avoid a difficult situation

Origin / Etymology

Latin subterfugere (to flee secretly), subter (beneath, secretly) + fugere (to flee)

Synonyms

Deception Trickery Stratagem Ruse Duplicity

Antonyms

Transparency Candour Openness Honesty

Example Sentence

"The opposition alleged that the government used subterfuge to bypass parliamentary scrutiny by routing the policy change through an executive order rather than legislation."

🎯 UPSC Usage

Useful in GS2 (governance, transparency) and GS4 (Ethics, probity in public life). Use to critique opacity in decision-making, electoral malpractice, or covert state action. Related concept: 'constitutional subterfuge', using legal procedures to achieve unconstitutional ends.

Relevant Subjects