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 And there were posters tearing apart his otherworldly self-projection as a fakir, or ascetic, depicting him in his monogrammed suits, designer sunglasses, and aircraft. — Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026 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
  • The White House is now cracking down on these tariff dodgers.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of dodger
Noun
  • But investigators now say his story was a sham and that behind closed doors, the assistant fire chief was allegedly living a double life.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The set also comes with two matching pillow shams to tie everything together.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of sham
Noun
  • The Irish will always be able to run the ball, but without those two cheat codes, more pressure falls on Carr and another group of unproven receivers to make chunk plays.
    — Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In the end, my cheat-code pie crust worked just fine and all was well.
    — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 July 2026
Definition of cheat
Noun
  • As part of the investigation, the Canadian Conservation Institute agreed to inspect four potential fakes, which arrived on its doorstep in 2021.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The second-round pass rusher made aggressive mistakes, falling twice for option fakes and overrunning a screen pass early.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of fake
Noun
  • For a taste of the Mediterranean, Beach Rogue, with its after-dark DJ and near-promise of shark sightings, is the spot to book.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The vessel was licensed to travel through Kiribati's waters but was detained by the maritime police after inspectors found shark fins on board, commander Tom Redfern told AFP.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of shark
Noun
  • The transfer portal can transform a contender into a pretender in a single offseason.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The schedule is forgivable, even by ACC standards, but a rematch on the road against Notre Dame will separate the Canes as contenders or pretenders.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of pretender
Noun
  • Colorado has no shortage of important legal priorities, from protecting consumers against fraud to addressing the complex issues facing families and businesses across the state.
    — Robin Rossenfeld, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026
  • So far, only one conviction has come out of the sweeping fraud investigation of Loretto’s former executives.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of fraud
Noun
  • Their actions, goals, and promises mimic that of a charlatan.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Ours is not a society that loathes charlatans; look who’s running things.
    — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 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 30 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fakir

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fakir

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