1
as in cheats
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 magicians
one who practices tricks and illusions for entertainment
a very adept trickster who used mirrors to make huge items—even buildings—seem to disappear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tricksters
Like the tricksters of myth, there’s depth to their slyness.
—
Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
Floods, tricksters, battles with monsters, creation and apocalypse—sometimes the resemblances are uncanny.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Many of the short form videos are skits featuring cartoonish depictions of Putin, Khamenei and Kim Jong Un posing as tricksters that prank, imprison or kill Trump and Netanyahu.
—Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
In addition to taste testing at the wine and beer tents, see live performances by musical artists, polka dancers and BMX tricksters.
—Caroline Ritzie, The Enquirer, 21 Aug. 2025
Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
Floods, tricksters, battles with monsters, creation and apocalypse—sometimes the resemblances are uncanny.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Many of the short form videos are skits featuring cartoonish depictions of Putin, Khamenei and Kim Jong Un posing as tricksters that prank, imprison or kill Trump and Netanyahu.
—Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
In addition to taste testing at the wine and beer tents, see live performances by musical artists, polka dancers and BMX tricksters.
—Caroline Ritzie, The Enquirer, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricksters
Noun
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Iran lies, cheats, blusters and bullies.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
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The world is full of bad actors—cheats, liars, tyrants, sickos—who are, ultimately, mere human beings; at least, this was how rationality would have it.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Perched in the Hollywood Hills, the Magic Castle is one of Los Angeles’ most unusual landmarks, boasting a private society for magicians tucked inside a mansion known as the Holly Chateau.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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At least one of Tullman’s magicians, Nicholas Locapo, who has moved here from Columbus, Ohio, seemed very happy in that magician’s way.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Ukraine faces severe personnel shortages with around 200,000 military desertions and 2 million draft-dodgers, threatening its ability to sustain the war against Russia’s 2022 invasion.—
Kirsten Grieshaber,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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This heat wave, which is the oceanic equivalent of a heat wave on land, could have broad ramifications for sea life, as warm water species like hammerhead sharks and bluefin tuna migrate into areas where they are normally not seen, and cold-water species move deeper and further north.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
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The aquarium features hundreds of thousands of gallons of water and dozens of habitats filled with nearly 8,000 animals, including sharks, sea turtles, stingrays and jellyfish.—
Taylor Haught,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This scam, according to Kent, could be proliferated with the use of AI, which can allow swindlers to enroll in many different college programs at once.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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Good afternoon and welcome to Con Con, the convention for swindlers, mountebanks, and the people who love them.—
Henry Alford,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tricksters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricksters. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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