1
as in cheat
a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value
a heartless trickster swindled the elderly woman out of her life savings
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in magician
one who practices tricks and illusions for entertainment
a very adept trickster who used mirrors to make huge items—even buildings—seem to disappear
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Recent Examples of trickster
Tasked with solving Jareth’s labyrinth to secure Toby’s safety, Sarah races against time to defeat the goblin’s trickster army.
—
Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2025
This is not to suggest that Matsura was Coyote personified; rather, that Matsura’s persona and perspective manifested trickster qualities inscribed in and expressed through his photography.
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
And the trickster god Elegba, Orisha of the crossroads, stands between them, a wily ex-con buddy of Oshoosi’s — not bad, not good, a Mephistophelean drifter who secretly longs for the fraternal intimacy that is his friend’s by birthright.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
This colorful tale blends fantasy with reality as Miguel heads to a magical land to confront Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt) with the help of a new friend and trickster named Héctor (Gael García Bernal).
—Sydni Ellis, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trickster
Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2025
This is not to suggest that Matsura was Coyote personified; rather, that Matsura’s persona and perspective manifested trickster qualities inscribed in and expressed through his photography.
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
And the trickster god Elegba, Orisha of the crossroads, stands between them, a wily ex-con buddy of Oshoosi’s — not bad, not good, a Mephistophelean drifter who secretly longs for the fraternal intimacy that is his friend’s by birthright.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
This colorful tale blends fantasy with reality as Miguel heads to a magical land to confront Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt) with the help of a new friend and trickster named Héctor (Gael García Bernal).
—Sydni Ellis, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trickster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trickster
Noun
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What’s your favorite cheat food?—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
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Most victims begin by searching for free or cracked software, cheat tools or game hacks, which is the root of the infection chain.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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After all, the film series follows a group of street magicians — played by Eisenberg, Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco — who famously use tricks to steal from the wealthy.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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Miles the magician Since her arrival in Fort Worth, Miles has brought the same flair and showmanship on the court that helped make her one of the biggest names in college basketball.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But my collection intentionally ignored the fraudulent exploits of billionaire heirs, tax dodgers and corporate magnates — defense contracts, government lobbying, bank accounts in Switzerland, shell companies in Panama, citizenship of Antigua and political asylum in London.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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Denise Rich, a Democratic donor, gave four hundred and fifty thousand dollars to his Presidential-library foundation, and Clinton, on his final day in office, pardoned her ex-husband, Marc Rich, a tax dodger and a sanctions evader who’d fled to Switzerland.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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After several moments, the shark managed to wriggle free and return to the ocean unharmed.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Take along snorkel gear—every stop is a chance to swim with sea turtles and even the occasional reef shark.—
Carla Vianna,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trickster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trickster. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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