flimflam

1 of 2

noun

flim·flam ˈflim-ˌflam How to pronounce flimflam (audio)

: deceptive nonsense

: deception, fraud

flimflam

2 of 2

verb

flimflammed; flimflamming

transitive verb

: to subject to a flimflam

flimflammer noun

flimflammery

ˈflim-ˌfla-mə-rē How to pronounce flimflam (audio)

noun

Did you know?

English is full of words concerned with trickery and deception, ranging from the colorful "flimflam," "bamboozle," and "hornswoggle" to the more mundane "deceive," "mislead," and "delude." "Flimflam" first entered English as a noun meaning "deceptive nonsense" in the second half of the 16th century. A sense meaning "deception" or "fraud" soon developed. The verb use didn't show up until well into the next century. In addition to general deceiving or tricking, the verb "flimflam" is often used specifically to refer to swindling someone out of money. The ultimate origin of "flimflam" is uncertain, but the word is probably of Scandinavian origin and may be related to the Old Norse flim, meaning "mockery."

Synonyms

Noun

artifice
device
dodge
fetch
gambit
gimmick
jig
juggle
knack
play
ploy
ruse
scheme
shenanigan
sleight
stratagem
trick
wile

Verb

beat
bilk
bleed
cheat
chisel
chouse
con
cozen
defraud
diddle
do
do in
euchre
fiddle
fleece
gaff
hose [slang]
hustle
mulct
nobble [British slang]
pluck
ream
rip off
rook
screw
shake down
short
shortchange
skin
skunk
squeeze
stick
stiff
sting
sucker
swindle
thimblerig
victimize

See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

Noun The report is just a lot of corporate flimflam. giving the new guy at work her cell phone number—“in case of an emergency”—was just a flimflam to pique his romantic interest Verb everyone likes to think that they're too smart to be flimflammed by anyone

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There are no extra fillers, no gimmicks, and no flimflam.

The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 2022 Instead, Democrats should present voters with a material choice between a party that has nothing to offer the majority of Americans but abuse and conspiratorial flimflam and a party committed to building a democracy and an economy that work for all.

Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 5 Feb. 2021 Might that statement actually be a bit of protective flimflam?

Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2020 There’s always seemed to be a bit of flimflam behind that gigglemug of his.

Jonah Goldberg, National Review, 4 Dec. 2019 Zirin does not get lost in the clouds of flimflam that have spewed out of Trump for decades, which other biographers have taken as their mission to prove or disprove.

Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2019 The telltale sign of political flimflam is a promise to deliver all the benefits associated with a particular policy without any of the costs.

Steven Pearlstein, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2019 The far-reaching, proposed climate legislation championed by liberal lawmakers Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey, and derided by Trump as economic flimflam, aims to tackle climate change.

Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2019 Voters’ civic duty lies in applying their best judgment to separate the fact from the flimflam.

Joseph C. Sternberg, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2019 See More

单词	flimflam
释义	flimflam 1 of 2 noun flim·flam ˈflim-ˌflam 1 : deceptive nonsense 2 : deception, fraud flimflam 2 of 2 verb flimflammed; flimflamming transitive verb : to subject to a flimflam flimflammer noun flimflammery ˈflim-ˌfla-mə-rē noun Did you know? English is full of words concerned with trickery and deception, ranging from the colorful "flimflam," "bamboozle," and "hornswoggle" to the more mundane "deceive," "mislead," and "delude." "Flimflam" first entered English as a noun meaning "deceptive nonsense" in the second half of the 16th century. A sense meaning "deception" or "fraud" soon developed. The verb use didn't show up until well into the next century. In addition to general deceiving or tricking, the verb "flimflam" is often used specifically to refer to swindling someone out of money. The ultimate origin of "flimflam" is uncertain, but the word is probably of Scandinavian origin and may be related to the Old Norse flim, meaning "mockery." Synonyms Noun artifice device dodge fetch gambit gimmick jig juggle knack play ploy ruse scheme shenanigan sleight stratagem trick wile Verb beat bilk bleed cheat chisel chouse con cozen defraud diddle do do in euchre fiddle fleece gaff hose [slang] hustle mulct nobble [British slang] pluck ream rip off rook screw shake down short shortchange skin skunk squeeze stick stiff sting sucker swindle thimblerig victimize See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun The report is just a lot of corporate flimflam. giving the new guy at work her cell phone number—“in case of an emergency”—was just a flimflam to pique his romantic interest Verb everyone likes to think that they're too smart to be flimflammed by anyone Recent Examples on the Web Noun There are no extra fillers, no gimmicks, and no flimflam. The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 2022 Instead, Democrats should present voters with a material choice between a party that has nothing to offer the majority of Americans but abuse and conspiratorial flimflam and a party committed to building a democracy and an economy that work for all. Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 5 Feb. 2021 Might that statement actually be a bit of protective flimflam? Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2020 There’s always seemed to be a bit of flimflam behind that gigglemug of his. Jonah Goldberg, National Review, 4 Dec. 2019 Zirin does not get lost in the clouds of flimflam that have spewed out of Trump for decades, which other biographers have taken as their mission to prove or disprove. Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2019 The telltale sign of political flimflam is a promise to deliver all the benefits associated with a particular policy without any of the costs. Steven Pearlstein, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2019 The far-reaching, proposed climate legislation championed by liberal lawmakers Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey, and derided by Trump as economic flimflam, aims to tackle climate change. Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2019 Voters’ civic duty lies in applying their best judgment to separate the fact from the flimflam. Joseph C. Sternberg, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2019 See More Word History Etymology Noun perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse flim mockery First Known Use Noun circa 1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb 1660, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing flimflam flimflam artist/man flimflam artist/man flimflam 1 of 2 noun 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 Relevance ruse scheme trick device stratagem gambit ploy dodge shenanigan sleight knack gimmick jig deception bluff artifice fetch juggle wile trickery legerdemain subterfuge sleight of hand hoax fakery chicanery cunning cozenage duplicity swindling swindle feint fraud jugglery skulduggery skullduggery play end run sham cheating dupery crookery gaff blind craft smoke screen front 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 scam fraud swindle con hoax bunco scheme bunko hustle sting trick fiddle shell game device counterfeit racket stratagem phony sham ploy dodge forgery cross fake sleight rip-off pyramid scheme humbug gimmick fix gouging overcharging jig phoney wile Ponzi scheme soaking three-card monte thimblerig flimflam 2 of 2 verb as in to hustle 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 hustle cheat sting pluck squeeze swindle con do bilk trick stick screw deceive cozen defraud shortchange sucker beat gaff mulct short diddle shake down fleece fiddle fool bleed euchre victimize ream skin rook stiff exploit rip off nobble hose chisel skunk chouse thimblerig betray take for a ride extort take to the cleaners wrench do in overcharge sell a bill of goods to nick gull dupe gouge bamboozle milk clip wring soak bitch wrest fast-talk double-cross rope (in)
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flimflam

noun

verb

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Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing flimflam

noun

verb