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
The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 2022
Instead, Democrats should present voters with a material choice between a party that has nothing to offer the majority of Americans but abuse and conspiratorial flimflam and a party committed to building a democracy and an economy that work for all.
—Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 5 Feb. 2021
Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for flimflam
Noun
There are no extra fillers, no gimmicks, and no flimflam.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 2022
Instead, Democrats should present voters with a material choice between a party that has nothing to offer the majority of Americans but abuse and conspiratorial flimflam and a party committed to building a democracy and an economy that work for all.
—Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 5 Feb. 2021
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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But the ruse hits a snag when Taylor's boss (Tia Mowry) starts to question Hugh Mann's credentials, and Taylor starts dating the son of the resort owner (New Amsterdam's Ryan Eggold).—
Breanne L. Heldman,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
-
My office was among those that were subjected to this ruse.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Investigators say the same networks also operate large-scale text-message scams that feed the card-draining operations.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
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This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Guys were continually getting above pucks and taking hard strides back, not cheating for offense.—
Brad Elliott Schlossman,
Twin Cities,
18 Oct. 2025
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Regarding the subject of cheating and whether students might use AI to write essays, edX told Fortune that GradyAI has cheating detection built into its algorithms that can be turned on or off depending on the application.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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His conviction stemmed from a series of criminal schemes, including submitting false campaign finance documents, misusing donor identities to route funds for personal and campaign use, and providing fraudulent information to the New York State Department of Labor and the House of Representatives.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Doors and Window Frames in a Deep Shade The final component of Berkus’ three-color scheme is the deeper tone, often a darker shade of the wall color, used for doors or window frames.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As investigators dig deeper, more disturbing secrets emerge, including financial fraud, addiction, mysterious deaths and corruption.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
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Western Alliance also is alleging fraud in its bad loans.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,Matthew J. Belvedere,
CNBC,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From rushing out of the office to get party-ready, or hustling through the airport and reuniting with loved ones, to finally arriving at a glamorous night out with friends, each scene conveys merriment and personal style set against the backdrop of New York City.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
14 Oct. 2025
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Alongside her siblings, one of her first moments hustling was selling drinks to visitors who were on vacation.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The buckets are used as a replacement for the standard cardboard Happy Meal box and can double as a candy pail to use for trick-or-treating on Halloween.—
Endia Fontanez,
AZCentral.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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Add them to movie-night snacks, candy bowls, or trick-or-treat bags for a fun, not-too-frightening addition to your Halloween spread.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Joey Ortiz stung a groundball to Muncy’s left.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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But for Hovland, the lingering frustration of missing Sunday singles and watching Harris English sit out for no fault of his own still stings.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flimflam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimflam. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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