1
as in dodger
a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value
a traveling carnival that was run by fakirs preying on small-town rubes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in sham
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
a fakir peddling patent medicines that were mostly liquor and sugar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fakir
Bankman-Fried has refined the persona of a dishevelled, savantlike techno-fakir.
—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022
To be fair, the new nationalists have done their best, explicitly and repeatedly, to distance their emerging movement from white nationalists, alt-right fakirs, strident isolationists, and other assorted cranks.
—John Hood, National Review, 28 Aug. 2019
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022
To be fair, the new nationalists have done their best, explicitly and repeatedly, to distance their emerging movement from white nationalists, alt-right fakirs, strident isolationists, and other assorted cranks.
—John Hood, National Review, 28 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fakir
Noun
-
Almost all other passengers dine at the Britannia Restaurant, and there’s also a buffet restaurant serving international cuisine, with options for vegans, vegetarians and dairy dodgers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Jan. 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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Sarah Sherman Samuel transforms high-quality hemp bedding with a tiger illustration—drawn by her son, no less—to make a set of shams perfect for elevating your bedding set with custom-like details.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
10 Feb. 2026
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The set comes with two shams and is reversible with a simple solid white side.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
An oversized Oxford shirt is a rich-looking cheat code for the ages.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
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That’s basically the cheat code to any travel wardrobe.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The overwhelming motive for the early fakes was to provide entertainment — about three-quarters of the images in the exhibition were created for this purpose, Rooseboom said.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Drake had taken a risk, executed the perfect fake.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Twin Isle, from Shirley’s Trini Cuisine chef Janelle Romeo, makes customizable bowls, roti wraps, bake-and-shark and oxtail fries.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
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Anyone who has seen a shark fin break the water and then disappear knows this is not reassuring.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
13 Jan. 2026
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Advertisement Iranians deserve better than the Pahlavi pretender.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Officials allege Redzepagic — who recently lived in Florida — was involved in a fraud scheme between May 2021 and March 2025.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
13 Feb. 2026
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French police have detained nine people in relation to a ticketing fraud scheme that may have cost the Louvre €10 million ($12 million).—
News Desk,
Artforum,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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First up was Ben Shapiro, who described Tucker Carlson and others as grifters and charlatans, guilty of misleading their audiences with falsehoods and conspiracy theories.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Fortune,
19 Dec. 2025
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Of course, there is also plenty of Trump flattery along with paeans to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his cockamamie make-America-sick-again agenda, as one medical charlatan nods to another.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fakir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fakir. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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