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
  • Plus, the set comes with two shams to complete your sanctuary.
    — Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The five-piece set includes a plush comforter, throw blanket, shams, and a decorative pillow for calming cohesion, and comes in rich neutrals like creamy beige, midnight blue, and toasty brown.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of sham
Noun
  • The Trasks encounter a wide swath of citizens, haggling with sneaky cheats, exploiting innocent fools, and befriending big-hearted neighbors.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • This guy has the infinite money cheat behind him and is very dangerous.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of cheat
Noun
  • While highly sophisticated fakes can fool even seasoned shoppers, the following are the secrets our experts say to look for to spot a dupe.
    — Shagun Khare, Martha Stewart, 28 Sep. 2026
  • After a play-action fake, Jackson hit Beau Sparks down the left sideline for a 63-yard touchdown to open the scoring about 1 1/2 minutes into the game.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of fake
Noun
  • Action films have proven to be massively successful for Netflix, which has been minting hits with titles such as crime thriller The Rip, sci-fi flick War Machine, survival thriller Apex, and shark pic Thrash, just this year alone.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The Instagram caption speculates the albino shark was somewhere between eight and nine feet long.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 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
  • Holmes and her partner Billy Evans invited Fielder, Oppenheim and a small camera crew into their San Diego home 34 days before Holmes began her Theranos fraud prison sentence.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Frankel also faces investment adviser fraud and false-statement counts over SEC filings that allegedly concealed his conviction and a Finra suspension.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of fraud
Noun
  • You and many others have been taken in by a lowlife charlatan.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Their actions, goals, and promises mimic that of a charlatan.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 24 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 4 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fakir

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fakir

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