palming

verb

present participle of palm
as in wishing
to offer (something fake, useless, or inferior) as genuine, useful, or valuable another low-rent company trying to palm cheesy merchandise upon mail-order customers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 palming Of the billionaires who line up on the Messeplatz for the First Choice VIP opening at Art Basel, few would be out of place palming handshakes and quaffing Champagne at the Steigenberger Icon Grandhotel Belvédère. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 20 Mar. 2026 The school also posted a picture of the center, who reportedly has a 7-4 wingspan, palming two basketballs on the program’s website. — Alex Valdes, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palming
  1. wishing
  2. inflicting
  3. imposing
  4. foisting
Verb
  • Officials posted abroad wishing to defect must dexterously evade state security officials stationed alongside them and come to peace with the fact that loved ones back home will surely be punished.
    — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Please join me in wishing them all the best on their next endeavors.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of wishing
Verb
  • The crew threw live birds at her, inflicting real injuries and once coming dangerously close to hurting her eye.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The plaintiffs challenging the project claim the work is inflicting irreversible damage.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of inflicting
Verb
  • The organ has an imposing physical presence, but its expressive range can become constricting over 13 tracks.
    — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The four plaintiffs — Carvajal, Gonzalez, Ratchkauskas and Mojena — contend that FIU violated their constitutional rights by imposing sanctions over private conversations that, however offensive, did not constitute genuine threats.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of imposing
Verb
  • Even Jeff, post-premiere, has been a delight, just kind of letting the game play out and not foisting metaphors upon us at Tribal Council.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
  • No foisting me on another mother too overwhelmed to notice.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Definition of foisting

Browse Nearby Words

palmed off
palming
palming off
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Palming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palming. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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