fakir

noun

Definition of fakirnext
1
as in dodger
a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value a traveling carnival that was run by fakirs preying on small-town rubes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in sham
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise a fakir peddling patent medicines that were mostly liquor and sugar

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fakir Almost a fakir, a legend like that. — Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026 Bankman-Fried has refined the persona of a dishevelled, savantlike techno-fakir. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 To be fair, the new nationalists have done their best, explicitly and repeatedly, to distance their emerging movement from white nationalists, alt-right fakirs, strident isolationists, and other assorted cranks. — John Hood, National Review, 28 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fakir
  1. dodger
  2. sham
  3. cheat
  4. fake
  5. shark
  6. pretender
  7. fraud
  8. charlatan
Noun
  • Ukraine faces severe personnel shortages with around 200,000 military desertions and 2 million draft-dodgers, threatening its ability to sustain the war against Russia’s 2022 invasion.
    — Kirsten Grieshaber, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Almost all other passengers dine at the Britannia Restaurant, and there’s also a buffet restaurant serving international cuisine, with options for vegans, vegetarians and dairy dodgers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Jan. 2026
Definition of dodger
Noun
  • Not washing your duvet cover (and shams, if applicable) in a dedicated load.
    — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026
  • Eight received 40 Hz light and sound seven received white noise and steady light as a sham.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026
Definition of sham
Noun
  • Amazon’s Deals of the Day are basically a giant cheat code for this, dropping awesome entertainment gear to rock-bottom prices.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 7 July 2026
  • Sometimes, the fourth-grader asks Robo-Dad for Minecraft cheats.
    — Ella Chakarian, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2026
Definition of cheat
Noun
  • Some of the manuscripts were never returned, while others were replaced with fakes.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 13 July 2026
  • The model can spot obvious fakes, but Fleek also runs quality-check centers in Karachi and Delhi that inspect items from brands and categories its data has flagged as frequently counterfeited.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 8 July 2026
Definition of fake
Noun
  • Along with increasing rainfall, climate change is warming the oceans, which changes shark behavior.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 14 July 2026
  • Shoved in a corner was an adult-size pickle costume by the designer who made Katy Perry’s Super Bowl halftime-show sharks.
    — Emma Allen, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
Definition of shark
Noun
  • At least one of them will in the coming weeks likely be exposed as a pretender.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2026
  • To add to the challenge, Brady also left his mark on the latest pretender to his crown.
    — Peter Carline, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of pretender
Noun
  • Made false claims of massive fraud of millions of undocumented people voting.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
  • The consignor was later identified as an accomplice in a separate auction fraud case in Hebei province.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of fraud
Noun
  • Others estimate that $500 billion in federal spending is diverted by charlatans each year.
    — Las Vegas Review-Journal, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
  • To this day, a portion of the left-wing Democratic elite views Obama as a charlatan who hoodwinked their voters into supporting him.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Definition of charlatan

Browse Nearby Words

faking out
fakir
fakirs
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Cite this Entry

“Fakir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fakir. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fakir

Nglish: Translation of fakir for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fakir

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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