1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
giving the new guy at work her cell phone number—"in case of an emergency"—was just a flimflam to pique his romantic interest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in scam
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
just the latest Internet flimflam to get e-mail recipients to reveal bank account numbers and other personal information
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
everyone likes to think that they're too smart to be flimflammed by anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of flimflam
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2022
Hopefully, few readers will be taken in by this flimflam.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2022
Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for flimflam
Noun
This is the language of partisan flimflam, not sober healthcare policymaking.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2022
Hopefully, few readers will be taken in by this flimflam.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2022
Verb
But liars like Kari Lake, who lost a bid for Arizona governor by parroting former President Trump’s falsehoods and hopes now to flimflam her way to a Senate seat, are only the most visible threat to our system of democracy.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for flimflam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flimflam
Noun
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In order to ensure the ruse is never uncovered, the twins swap places regularly, sharing equal parts — both good and bad — of each other's everyday lives.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Carreyrou acknowledged an obvious objection to this thesis—that there is a lengthy paper trail of Back corresponding with Satoshi—but explains it away by saying that Back was actually writing to himself as part of an elaborate ruse to throw would-be unmaskers off the trail.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and WhatsApp, has pledged to remove imposter accounts tied to scams that were recently flagged by the Manhattan district attorney's office, following a phone call between the two parties this week, the DA's office told ABC News Friday.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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DeviantArt’s Protect feature uses state-of-the-art image recognition to help safeguard creators’ work against unauthorized use, and the platform employs a dedicated team to investigate and mitigate the impact from spam, scams, fraud, and other bad actors.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Notice something small, then compliment it This one is almost cheating.—
Henna Pryor,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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Naumann also did Loughlin’s hair for this March outing, which marked the mother and daughters’ first red-carpet appearance together since the 2019 college admissions cheating scandal.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Gentry’s lean frame limits his play strength, and the role fit will vary wildly depending on the scheme, but going to tempt creative coaching staffs.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
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The players were not aware that they were being used as part of the scheme, officials said.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager with California Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog, said in an email Friday that heavy reliance on outside vendors can increase the risk of fraud or mismanagement if oversight is weak.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
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DeviantArt’s Protect feature uses state-of-the-art image recognition to help safeguard creators’ work against unauthorized use, and the platform employs a dedicated team to investigate and mitigate the impact from spam, scams, fraud, and other bad actors.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Randle failed to hustle back into the play after Denver snatched an offensive rebound on a 45-foot heave with two minutes left.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
-
During an interview with The Star on Friday, waiters hustled through the space with plates.—
Jenna Thompson
April 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With a little encouragement, and after a bit of sake, Isa Briones will pull out her party trick at karaoke.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
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The trick is to hydrate earlier in the day and cut fluids at least an hour before bed, to make sure you’re not woken up by multiple trips to the bathroom.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With a stinging defeat in the rearview mirror, Charles Lee knows the task at hand for the Charlotte Hornets.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Okay, this one might sting a little.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flimflam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimflam. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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