1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
giving the new guy at work her cell phone number—"in case of an emergency"—was just a flimflam to pique his romantic interest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in scam
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
just the latest Internet flimflam to get e-mail recipients to reveal bank account numbers and other personal information
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
everyone likes to think that they're too smart to be flimflammed by anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of flimflam
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2022
Hopefully, few readers will be taken in by this flimflam.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2022
Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for flimflam
Noun
This is the language of partisan flimflam, not sober healthcare policymaking.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2022
Hopefully, few readers will be taken in by this flimflam.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2022
Verb
But liars like Kari Lake, who lost a bid for Arizona governor by parroting former President Trump’s falsehoods and hopes now to flimflam her way to a Senate seat, are only the most visible threat to our system of democracy.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for flimflam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flimflam
Noun
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Six phone calls made from one of the suspect numbers — in between calls to the San Francisco victim on the day of his robbery — were to a Los Angeles man who was zip-tied, duct-taped and beaten inside his Los Angeles home on New Year’s Eve, following a delivery ruse.—
Megan Cassidy,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
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Antoine’s art dealer Armand (Lellouche), desperate to keep Antoine from falling apart, urges Suzanne to keep the ruse alive.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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An alleged $20 million insurance scam on Mount Everest saw climbers subjected to staged rescues and admitted to hospitals across Kathmandu in a scheme to fraudulently claim insurance money, Nepali authorities say.—
Manish Paudel,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
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Shah served less than three years of her 6½-year sentence after pleading guilty in July 2022 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a nationwide investment scam that targeted mostly elderly, vulnerable women.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported on the cheating epidemic that has overtaken schools and universities as students outsource their assignments to a chat bot.—
Peter Smagorinsky,
AJC.com,
30 Mar. 2026
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An angler competing in a walleye derby on Saskatchewan’s Montreal Lake was kicked out of the ice-fishing tournament Saturday after being accused of cheating.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The prosecution said all along that the two younger defendants were part of the scheme, but Alaniz Pineda was the one who shot Canoy.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Apr. 2026
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Authorities arrested eight people accused of conducting a series of health care fraud schemes that bilked tens of millions of dollars from Medicare and other insurance companies across Southern California, prosecutors announced April 2.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The leader of the Ex-Slave Pension Association was later imprisoned on mail fraud charges, and the organization faded away, while the Eagles became one of the pressure groups that eventually led to Social Security.—
Trevor Jackson,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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At first, the attention became so intense that Bravo was removed from the televisions inside the minimum-security camp, where Shah was serving her sentence for her role in a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The dads and sons hustled to a nearby dirt patch.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Minnesota pulled even in the fourth when Byron Buxton hustled home on sacrifice fly by Josh Bell.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Old dog learns new tricks UConn forward Alex Karaban, who played on the 2023 and ’24 champions, is attempting to become the first non-UCLA player to win three national championships.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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The brain bug's intrinsic ick factor is undeniably high, but using their proboscises to suck thoughts directly from the brains of their unfortunate victims is a pretty neat party trick.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Alcohol can be stinging and drying to the skin.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Anyone who is stung repeatedly or has trouble breathing should call 911.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flimflam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimflam. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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