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
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Recent Examples of flimflam
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2022
There are no extra fillers, no gimmicks, and no flimflam.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 2022
Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for flimflam
Noun
Hopefully, few readers will be taken in by this flimflam.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2022
There are no extra fillers, no gimmicks, and no flimflam.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 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
-
While the ruse was going, Schreiner lashed out at anyone who was skeptical.—
Kenneal Patterson,
Vanity Fair,
19 Feb. 2026
-
In a ruse that, for lack of a more astute reference point here, feels very Don Draper-coded, Rose poses as the dear male soldier who died next to her in battle, figuring why waste the deeds to perfectly decent land, or his name.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
How to avoid stimulus check scams As plans for any forthcoming checks remain unclear, stimulus scams have become so widespread that the IRS has cautioned the public to stay vigilant.—
Cheyenne Derksen,
Oklahoman,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Keep your items close and protected The amount of local scams and pickpockets in many European cities is a constant issue for travelers.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Educational institutions signed contracts with AI detection companies such as GPTZero, ZeroGPT and Turnitin to deter students from cheating and adopted AI policies.—
Liz Shulman,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Meanwhile, our friends to the North seem to be in need of a timeout after cheating allegations.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This latest news comes just a few weeks after Mayweather filed a lawsuit against Showtime Networks and the former president of Showtime Sports, accusing the company of helping facilitate a fraud scheme that deprived him of roughly $340 million in earnings.—
Matt Schubert,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Güell’s vision was to build an estate for affluent families—Gaudí planned 60 homes, a market, and gardens inspired by British parks (which explains the English spelling of the Catalan word parc), but the scheme never took off.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This latest news comes just a few weeks after Mayweather filed a lawsuit against Showtime Networks and the former president of Showtime Sports, accusing the company of helping facilitate a fraud scheme that deprived him of roughly $340 million in earnings.—
Matt Schubert,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The complaint notes that since 2023, five former executive officers have been indicted on federal charges including embezzlement, conspiracy, coercion, insurance fraud and related crimes.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Yet the Bulls haven’t showed much urgency in trying to hustle either player back into the rotation until after this weekend’s hiatus.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
His attacker, the man in black, was hustled off the stage.—
Anderson Cooper,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Wang Xindi won his first Olympic gold earlier today after landing a trick with five twists in the aerial event.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
-
From selecting the perfect bag, to using versatile pouches, and choosing your accessories methodically, these are my tips and tricks for personal item packing.—
Taylor Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The loss of Puig, who might be the most irreplaceable player in MLS, will certainly sting.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Further down the supply chain, former Army Ranger Patrick Montgomery, who runs KC Cattle Company, located outside Kansas City, Missouri, has been stung by high prices.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flimflam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimflam. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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