1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
giving the new guy at work her cell phone number—"in case of an emergency"—was just a flimflam to pique his romantic interest
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2
as in scam
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
just the latest Internet flimflam to get e-mail recipients to reveal bank account numbers and other personal information
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
everyone likes to think that they're too smart to be flimflammed by anyone
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of flimflam
Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 5 Feb. 2021
Might that statement actually be a bit of protective flimflam?
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2020
Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for flimflam 
Noun
Instead, Democrats should present voters with a material choice between a party that has nothing to offer the majority of Americans but abuse and conspiratorial flimflam and a party committed to building a democracy and an economy that work for all.
—Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 5 Feb. 2021
Might that statement actually be a bit of protective flimflam?
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2020
Verb
But liars like Kari Lake, who lost a bid for Arizona governor by parroting former President Trump’s falsehoods and hopes now to flimflam her way to a Senate seat, are only the most visible threat to our system of democracy.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for flimflam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flimflam
Noun
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Agatha had put Ralph under a spell, forcing him to play Wanda’s brother Pietro in her ruse to steal Wanda’s dark magic.Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 19 Oct. 2024
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Speaking of which, does anyone understand why some elaborate ruse had to be pulled to get Andy’s SOID cube back?Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Hackers could use this gap to target victims with scams, leading to financial losses.Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
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Watch on Deadline The series showcases dueling patriarchs, high-finance scams, murderous drug cartels, and government corruption, while also depicting the emotional decades-long father-son struggle over the boundaries of loyalty and love.Peter White, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The post comes as Trump has for days basely accused the key battleground state of cheating.Luke Barr, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
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The activation comes amid a particularly tense election year, with former President Trump, the Republican nominee, already claiming that Democrats are cheating.Brad Dress, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Pietro La Greca Jr’s memoir Pesos: The Rise and Fall of a Border Family tells the story of an Italian immigrant and con man who ran Mexico’s biggest money laundering scheme during the worst economic period in the country’s history.Peter White, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2024
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In the 2000s, federal agents deduced that the company was a mere front for a complex money laundering scheme.Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 18 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Read Article > Elon Musk spent Election Day on X praising men, amplifying anti-immigrant conspiracies, and accusing Democrats of voter fraud.Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024
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No one believes Rihanna would or could actually commit voter fraud, but that didn’t stop plenty of commenters, especially those who support Trump, from being up in arms over the suggestion that a foreign billionaire would ever try.Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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For the 456, Ferrari bestowed it with a 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 that made 436 horsepower and more than 400 lb-ft of torque, which is more than adequate for hustling across the continent.Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 21 Nov. 2024
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Defensive end Austin Booker, hustling from the back side, dived and tried to trip up Demercado but missed.Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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But note the fun trick of resizing or even rotating the cloned objects: People Beautifier PhotoDirector's People Beautifier tool has four subsets: Face Tools, Face Deblur, Body Shaper, and Skin Smoother.PCMAG, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
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For example, have the dog chase a ball or do a trick and reward the behaviors.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Since the stinging defeat in the courts, at which details emerged of government security forces downplaying the Bundys’ legitimate concern for their own safety when federal sniper units encircled the family, Washington and its agencies let the Bundys graze at will and without charge.Matt Thompson, SPIN, 5 Nov. 2024
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Perhaps cricket can stomach that axing, but potentially not being part of the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, will sting.Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near flimflam
Cite this Entry
“Flimflam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimflam. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
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