as in lawyer
chiefly US, informal
a person who is dishonest especially in politics or in the practice of law
—often used before another noun
a shyster lawyer
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Recent Examples of shyster
To demonstrate that point in a video, a researcher told a robot arm to put a bunch of plastic grapes into a clear Tupperware container, then proceeded to shift three containers around on the table in an approximation of a shyster’s shell game.
—
Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Mar. 2025
Holmes is another shyster whose story has been dissected in several documentaries and in dramatizations like Hulu’s The Dropout, but Gibney brings specific insights and a fresh perspective to this truly unbelievable story.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 31 July 2024
And there’s a character on there who is—plays kind of a shyster attorney.
—Nick Sibilla, Forbes, 11 Nov. 2022
How Bob Odenkirk became the great American shyster in the riveting show, Better Call Saul.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 1 May 2022
Marty the nebbish, Ike the shyster, Phyllis the shrew.
—Judy Berman, Time, 8 Nov. 2021
In the 1930s, it was purchased by Norman Baker, a shyster who lured cancer patients to come here for treatments that had no medicinal value.
—Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2020
Small business owners trying to stay afloat as the economy reels from the impact of the coronavirus can add another worry to the list: shysters pretending to be affiliated with the federal government's flagship relief program.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2020
Lukens, almost alone, kept the faith, arguing that the bust had simply exposed honest dealers from shysters.
—The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Mar. 2025
Holmes is another shyster whose story has been dissected in several documentaries and in dramatizations like Hulu’s The Dropout, but Gibney brings specific insights and a fresh perspective to this truly unbelievable story.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 31 July 2024
And there’s a character on there who is—plays kind of a shyster attorney.
—Nick Sibilla, Forbes, 11 Nov. 2022
How Bob Odenkirk became the great American shyster in the riveting show, Better Call Saul.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 1 May 2022
Marty the nebbish, Ike the shyster, Phyllis the shrew.
—Judy Berman, Time, 8 Nov. 2021
In the 1930s, it was purchased by Norman Baker, a shyster who lured cancer patients to come here for treatments that had no medicinal value.
—Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2020
Small business owners trying to stay afloat as the economy reels from the impact of the coronavirus can add another worry to the list: shysters pretending to be affiliated with the federal government's flagship relief program.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2020
Lukens, almost alone, kept the faith, arguing that the bust had simply exposed honest dealers from shysters.
—The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shyster
Noun
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That includes businesses that provide professional services, such as doctors, lawyers, consultants, athletes, and brokers—typically, any business whose success depends on the reputation or skill of its employees.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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When he was taken into custody, Leon did not provide a statement to police and asked for a lawyer.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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At least one former candidate – Kansas City attorney Stacy Lake, who lost to White in the Democratic primary for County Executive in 2022 – has announced plans to run at that point.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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Another of Soliman’s attorneys interrupted when the immigration officer said the Brotherhood had been a Tier III group since 2012.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For nearly three years now, I’ve been fascinated by the performance art of this blustering pettifogger.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Shyster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shyster. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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