thimblerigging

verb

present participle of thimblerig
as in cheating
to rob by the use of trickery or threats had the feeling that I had just been thimblerigged by the sweetest-looking old lady

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thimblerigging
  1. cheating
  2. squeezing
  3. plucking
  4. stinging
  5. hustling
  6. sticking
  7. beating
  8. screwing
Verb
  • The company remains one of the world’s largest automakers and carries the legacy of Dieselgate, the emissions-cheating scandal that cost it billions of dollars in fines, settlements and other penalties.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • At the same time, as families pour more resources into preparing young people for the exams, frequent cheating scandals and test cancellations can make their investment moot.
    — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheating
Verb
  • Marris was aghast, squeezing the sides of her phone to capture what was on the screen.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The level of boredom Pugh brought to Kate making her older client orgasm by squeezing his nipples really sold her approach to the work.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of squeezing
Verb
  • LLMs are great at finding blowups that exist—at searching the infinite landscape of fluid scenarios and plucking out the precise situation that breaks the equations.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Fortunately, many dahlia insect problems in September can be solved by walking through the garden in the morning and plucking the offending insects off the plants by hand, then dropping them into a container of soapy water.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of plucking
Verb
  • As of today, with that $7 million ticking fee to WBD shareholders kicking in October 1 and Ellison’s leaked threat to pull up HQ stakes outta the Golden State still stinging, the deal still sits in legal limbo.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
  • And in the Northwest, unseasonably warm temperatures combined with drier fall conditions may extend ant and stinging insect activity.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of stinging
Verb
  • Besides Instagram hustling and scouring job boards, entrepreneurial editors find gigs when creators call out for help.
    — Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Devers, who finished with three hits, eschewed his power for small ball in the fifth, laying down a surprise bunt for a single, then hustling home on Susac’s sacrifice fly.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 31 July 2026
Definition of hustling
Verb
  • By sticking her neck out and opening up a very touchy subject for examination, Hannah-Jones has done much more to advance the cause of public education than most of her detractors will give her credit for.
    — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • In fact, one of Lamper’s most viral videos shows Finn sticking his arm inside an automatic feeder to get extra food.
    — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of sticking
Verb
  • These two faced each other 13 times during the regular season, and the Braves were the clear victor, beating the Phillies nine times.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Segebart brought a stethoscope so Scharbach could hear Autumn’s heart beating in her chest.
    — Susan Young, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of beating
Verb
  • The screwworm gets its name from the maggots’ habit of burrowing — or screwing — into a wound, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
    — Fabiola Sánchez, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a storyline in season two about AI being employed at the hospital, then screwing everything up when the system goes down.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of screwing
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Thimblerigging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thimblerigging. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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