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
Eating disorders are master tricksters.
—
Eden Laase, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026
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
Eden Laase, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricksters
Noun
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Migrant welfare cheats exposed!—
The Hill,
The Hill,
5 May 2026
-
Iran lies, cheats, blusters and bullies.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Or just show up to watch the parade and take in the dancers, marching band, magicians, one-woman circus variety show, and more.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
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But, while watching the rugged coastline dip in and out of fjords and spiky mountains tumble down into the sea, magicians and musicals were far from my mind.—
Karen Gardiner,
Travel + Leisure,
25 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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Despite their aging heart, the sharks seemed quite able to get around—some of the specimens in the study were collected by longline fishing in Greenland waters, suggesting the sharks could find bait and successfully capture it.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
4 May 2026
-
Various species of sharks, some of which are endangered, hauled on shore at dawn by commercial fishermen at the Tanjung Luar port in East Lombok, Indonesia, last June.—
Jay Ganglani,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
The decade ended tumultuously, with the Osmond family’s fortune drained by a series of swindlers and grifters.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Tricksters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricksters. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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