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
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Recent Examples of fakir
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
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
Noun
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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
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But my collection intentionally ignored the fraudulent exploits of billionaire heirs, tax dodgers and corporate magnates — defense contracts, government lobbying, bank accounts in Switzerland, shell companies in Panama, citizenship of Antigua and political asylum in London.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While there’s no matching shams, their catalog lists many a pillowcase that would make a perfect companion, like this corduroy piece with a ruffled edge and needlepoint embroidery.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This was one big sham generated by AI.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Others might feel the author cheats here, leaving it up to the reader to decide.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
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The movie follows a group of petty cheats, liars and drunks who are duped by nefarious opportunists who visit their crumbling town.—
John Penner,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Too sweet to be true, he is seen as a corporate fake marketed to children by The Man.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
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In the meantime, prepare and arm your self and your company to better spot the fakes—start with video.—
Dean DeBiase,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Chinese are crazy for shark fins.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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The underwater habitat is home to the state fish, the Garibaldi, along with angel sharks, bat rays and other marine life.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
13 Jan. 2026
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Advertisement Iranians deserve better than the Pahlavi pretender.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In June, she was invited to appear before the Federal Trade Commission as a panelist to explain the harms of PGM from a consumer fraud perspective.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
-
When he was arrested on theft and fraud charges in 2023, contractor Ricky McGraw was held up as the poster child for Florida’s crumbling insurance market.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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First up was Ben Shapiro, who described Tucker Carlson and others as grifters and charlatans, guilty of misleading their audiences with falsehoods and conspiracy theories.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Fortune,
19 Dec. 2025
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Of course, there is also plenty of Trump flattery along with paeans to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his cockamamie make-America-sick-again agenda, as one medical charlatan nods to another.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fakir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fakir. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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