as in scams
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
it's amazing how intelligent people fall for that investment-fund shell game
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Recent Examples of shell games
Budget shell games, in other words.
—
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell games
scams
Noun
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This issue will keep getting worse — and lost dollars will continue to grow — if our country’s leaders fail to implement smart policies to prevent scams.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
6 Mar. 2026
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Investigators believe some of the scams are coordinated by inmates inside Georgia prisons with help from people on the outside.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shell games.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell%20games. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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