pyramid scheme

noun

: a usually illegal operation in which participants pay to join and profit mainly from payments made by subsequent participants

Examples of pyramid scheme in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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For the Klan, Clarke and Tyler settled on a good old-fashioned American pyramid scheme. Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2025 The Tuesday release highlighted an incident with Cambodian users urging people to enlist in a rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme with an initial text message generated by ChatGPT. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 6 Aug. 2025 These scammers lured their targets with various offers, from cryptocurrency investments to pyramid schemes, and operated mainly out of Southeast Asia. PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2025 Scams that often exploit financial literacy gaps and market scams, such as pyramid schemes, gifting circles or unregulated crypto programs, as opportunities for fast-track wealth. Alejandra Rojas, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for pyramid scheme

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pyramid scheme was in 1949

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Cite this Entry

“Pyramid scheme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pyramid%20scheme. Accessed 28 Sep. 2025.

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