1
as in ruses
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 scams
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 cheats
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flimflams
Noun
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They are accused of using several ruses to force their way into people’s homes, assaulting unsuspecting residents and holding them hostage for their own money, and demanding access to their crypto accounts.
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Kids will quickly see through her ruses.
Noun
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For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
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Text message scams are increasingly rife.
Verb
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Though Lesnar rarely cheats to win, Femi isn’t going to lose clean.
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Five average players committed to protecting the middle of the ice are more effective than four great ones and one who cheats for offence.
Noun
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Federal authorities on Tuesday charged 10 Southern California defendants in a series of healthcare fraud schemes, including one case involving nearly $270 million in fraudulent Medi-Cal claims and another that allegedly defrauded Medicare out of approximately $27 million.
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As contemporary home designs fade the visual bounds between interior and exterior, design pros are calling on lighting designers to illuminate their clients’ landscapes, with schemes that provide everything from safety to spectacle.
Noun
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Lan, 69, built a sprawling real estate empire of luxury homes and commercial properties before she was accused of one of the biggest frauds in global history.
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Bankman-Fried was convicted of masterminding one of the largest financial frauds in history stemming from the collapse of the crypto-exchange FTX.
Verb
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With electric vehicles continuing to gain share, that further squeezes European carmakers.
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At one point, the SUV squeezes past a traffic cone while making a left turn and narrowly avoids colliding with a large truck.
Noun
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The Big Think website has been optimized to work with all major browsers and devices.
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Numerous guests were reportedly secured in harnesses and fall protection and then transitioned onto aerial devices.
Verb
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Nothing stings quite like being steps from getting your credit card out to make a glorious purchase, and finding that your promo code isn’t working.
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If a memory stings during work, step away briefly, write a few lines, then return with cleaner focus for the task in front of you.
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Cite this Entry
“Flimflams.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimflams. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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