Definition of tinhorn
:one (such as a gambler) who pretends to have money, ability, or influence
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Seen from sophisticated aeries such as New York or London, their politics have often seemed clownish and tinhorn.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tinhorn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of tinhorn
1885
TINHORN Defined for English Language Learners
tinhorn
play
noun
Definition of tinhorn for English Language Learners
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: a person who talks and acts like someone who is strong and powerful but who is really weak, unimportant, etc.
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