flimflams 1 of 2

noun

plural of flimflam
1
as in ruses
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 scams
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

flimflams

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of flimflam
as in cheats
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flimflams
  1. ruses
  2. scams
  3. cheats
  4. schemes
  5. frauds
  6. squeezes
  7. devices
  8. stings
Noun
  • Such offenders will use all different ruses to distract the victim, such as claiming to be utility workers, tree trimmers, or handymen working on neighbors' houses.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 30 June 2026
  • They are accused of using several ruses to force their way into people’s homes, assaulting unsuspecting residents and holding them hostage for their own money, and demanding access to their crypto accounts.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Definition of ruses
Noun
  • As cybercriminals use increasingly sophisticated tactics and AI makes phishing attempts, impersonation scams and other attacks harder to spot, organizations can’t rely on annual compliance training alone.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Always compare multiple firms before making a decision because tax relief scams do exist.
    — Nick Perry, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of scams
Verb
  • Any forward who cheats for defence, as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has for much of his career, will play an elevated role on a Babcock team.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • Though Lesnar rarely cheats to win, Femi isn’t going to lose clean.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Definition of cheats
Noun
  • Twelve hundred conceptual categories showed up in just 490 papers and nowhere in the formal schemes, clustered in environmental drivers and ecological processes.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • New York officials say the unit is a national leader that targets complex, high-impact corporate schemes, and Attorney General Letitia James vows legal action, calling the cutoff an outrageous political attack.
    — Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of schemes
Noun
  • Their only inheritance is a legacy of two-bit crime that inspires them to run increasingly audacious frauds.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 25 June 2026
  • Lan, 69, built a sprawling real estate empire of luxury homes and commercial properties before she was accused of one of the biggest frauds in global history.
    — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
Definition of frauds
Verb
  • One of our favorite budget models on the market right now is HP's OmniBook X Flip, which squeezes every bit of performance out of its components to deliver capable everyday productivity performance in a good-looking package.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • That suits floating-rate lenders, who earn more when rates stay up, and squeezes any borrower trying to refinance into those rates.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of squeezes
Noun
  • The Entertainment Thanks to high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi available on JSX flights, travelers are free to stream and browse directly on their personal devices.
    — Annie Archer, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • As more Florida seniors use wearables like continuous glucose monitors, remote blood pressure monitors, smartwatches and fitness trackers, concern grows about who has access to the data these devices collect.
    — Cindy Krischer Goodman, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of devices
Verb
  • If feedback stings, take a breath, separate taste from task, and keep what improves the result.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026
  • For Martin, that statement still stings.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026
Definition of stings
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

flimflamming
flimflams
flimsiness
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Cite this Entry

“Flimflams.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimflams. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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