thimblerig 1 of 2

verb

Definition of thimblerignext
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats had the feeling that I had just been thimblerigged by the sweetest-looking old lady

Synonyms & Similar Words

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thimblerig

2 of 2

noun

as in three-card monte

Related Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thimblerig
  1. cheat
  2. three-card monte
  3. squeeze
  4. pyramid scheme
  5. pluck
  6. Ponzi scheme
  7. hustle
  8. racket
Verb
  • But the idea that girls are being cheated is personal for some athletes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Miller—who is no stranger to extramarital tabloid scandals herself—has also mastered her getting-cheated-on performances.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheat
Noun
  • That subplot also introduces the metaphor of three-card monte that runs throughout the episode.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
  • The Moore administration has chosen the opposite approach, doubling down on spending while shuffling money around in a game of three-card monte.
    — J.B. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of three-card monte
Verb
  • For hungry Southerners trying to squeeze a meal into their lunch breaks, that’s a major blunder.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Push through the soles of your feet and squeeze your glutes to drive your hips upward.
    — Jenessa Connor, HEALTH, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Noun
  • Among them was the founder of a major pyramid scheme that defrauded thousands of Colombians of their savings, as well as Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman with close ties to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was later extradited to the United States on money-laundering charges.
    — John Otis, NPR, 21 June 2026
  • Attention online—which is to say, the modern entertainment industry at large—can look a bit like a pyramid scheme, with each lower layer trying to siphon a segment of audience away from the more famous one above.
    — Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of pyramid scheme
Verb
  • The Royals plucked manager Matt Quatraro from the Rays organization in 2022.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Orioles plucked Jared Banner from the Cubs to be their new general manager under Mike Elias.
    — Josh Tolentino, Baltimore Sun, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of pluck
Noun
  • Only Bernie Madoff, whose Ponzi scheme defrauded 40,000 investors, comes close in terms of attention.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Fraud victims file civil lawsuit Eleven of the victims that were defrauded in the Ponzi scheme filed a civil lawsuit in August against an affiliate brokerage firm of MassMutual, a financial services company.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of Ponzi scheme
Verb
  • In Frankfurt, a gray city crumbling at the corners and still finding its footing after the war, though somehow doing its best to pretend all is well, Mann and Erika are greeted by the mayor and hustled off to a press conference.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The two firefighters, listening to their radios, hustled to the upstream bridge, prepared rope and watched the water.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of hustle
Noun
  • That means swinging a Joy-Con controller to simulate using a tennis racket or tossing a bowling ball.
    — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Mitt reminds me of these famous sports dads — Earl Woods, Richard Williams, Marv Marinovich — who put a golf club or tennis racket or football in their kids’ cribs.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of racket
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

thigh-slappers
thimblerig
thimblerigged
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Cite this Entry

“Thimblerig.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thimblerig. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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