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
Relevance
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
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 flimflam
Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 5 Feb. 2021
Might that statement actually be a bit of protective flimflam?
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2020
Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for flimflam
Noun
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
Might that statement actually be a bit of protective flimflam?
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2020
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
-
Richie buys Harry's ruse regarding Tommy's murder, but there's a catch.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
20 Apr. 2025
-
The wedding started as an elaborate three-way ruse concocted by Wai-Tung, a gay Taiwanese American man; his white boyfriend, Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein); and Wei-Wei, an undocumented Chinese immigrant.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
And just as with banking scams and law enforcement scams, keep in mind that any such proactive approach is a scam.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Aura Cost Plans from $9 to $25 per month, billed annually Standout features Protects against identity theft, financial fraud, spam calls, online theft, scam websites, viruses and malware.—
Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Neither team cheats for offense, every inch of ice is hard-earned.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
-
Niemann, a grandmaster, beat Carlsen in an upset in a 2022 match, leading Carlsen to withdraw from the tournament and setting off wild speculation about whether Niemann could have cheated, though no such allegations were ever proven.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Nearly 30 years ago California legislators faced a test of their integrity in voting for an electricity deregulation scheme that ratepayers are still paying for.—
Jamie Court,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
-
And perhaps the most frustrating and ironic aspect about these potential cuts is that in the scheme of the U.S. government’s overall budget, Mars gets much more of the planetary science budget than Venus.—
Bruce Dorminey,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The man who brought up the accusation of welfare fraud, who admitted to working for Alite's former boss John Gotti Jr., left the room, leaving a packet of handouts on a seat on his way out.—
Olivia Liu,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
-
As the Trump administration's cost-cutting initiative, DOGE has slashed tens of thousands of federal jobs in the name of reducing fraud, waste and abuse.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
As tens of millions of Americans hustle to pay their taxes, Trump has put the entire global economy into chaos.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2025
-
The girl called the police station one night and wound up talking to Liv, who kept her on the phone while the team hustled to try to figure out where she was being held.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The company, which sells hot and iced coffee, tea, shakes, as well as burritos and tacos, also hosts classes to teach dogs tricks.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Another simple trick to avoid seeming evasive: Answer questions with yes or no, first; get into the explanation afterwards.—
Rob Davis,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Now Warning To All iPhone Users Google Pixel’s Unbeatable Upgrade—Bad News For Samsung Being stuck at No. 2 behind Lamar likely stings just a little more than usual for Drake.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
-
But China is also seeking to build tighter relationships in Asia with nations stung by Trump’s tariffs.—
Josh Boak,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flimflam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimflam. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share