Skip to main content
flam

flam

1 9.9
A trick done to cheat or fool people
  • noun
  • /flæm/
  • Archaic
translation icon : engaño
  • And then they are going to want to know why and how they got fooled by this flim-flam man.
  • flim-flam

Examples

  • I'm glad to hear high-pressure, flim-flam sales tactics are still being kept alive by Priority dealerships; I thought they only still existed in timeshare sales.

    Blog text (21)
  • The politician's promises were just flam, as he had no intentions of following through.

  • A good flim-flam man makes the marks forget what he said or did ten minutes ago by sheer force of personality.

    Blog text (7)
  • Answer my point without all the irrelevant flim-flam.

    Blog text (17)
  • No economy can withstand the level of flim-flam that we have now institutionalized.

    Blog text (21)
  • Andrew Mendelson is a flim-flam artist and a constant prevaricator.

    Blog text (26)
  • When will conservatives make these liars, fraudsters, charlatans, grifters, and flim-flam artists pay for their lies?

    Blog text (3)
  • We need to plant the idea as widely as possible that Mitt is simply a flim-flam man, no different from a high-pressure salesman trying to get you to buy overpriced cookware.

    Blog text (14)
  • The magician's act was full of flam, leaving the audience wondering how the tricks were done.

  • He fell victim to the flam of a con artist selling fake antiques.

Synonyms

lie
vsflam
2.7

A false statement told to trick someone

is broader, covering many deceptive acts beyond spoken falsehoods
charade
vsflam
76 7.4

A false show that hides what is really happening

is a deceptive act that may be less openly theatrical
deceit
vsflam
66 4.6

Dishonest action meant to trick someone

is focused on a deliberate act to mislead for gain
pretense
vsflam
  • US
65 6.1

A false claim or action to hide the truth

is mainly a single deceptive act rather than a lasting show
ruse
vsflam
53 7.7

A clever trick to deceive someone

is similar but may be less clever and more direct
trickery
vsflam
27 4.9

To use dishonest ways to cheat people

is a single planned act intended to mislead someone
subterfuge
vsflam
19 9.5

A trick or excuse to hide the real reason

is a deceptive act aimed directly at cheating or misleading
hocus
vsflam
18 9.3

A trick used to cheat people, often to get their money

is similar but can be simpler and less performative
humbug
vsflam
  • Archaic
12 9.1

False talk or behavior meant to trick people

is typically one concrete action designed to cheat someone
smokescreen
vsflam
9 7.1

An action or statement that hides the real reason behind something

is primarily aimed at cheating someone rather than only hiding motives
chicanery
vsflam
  • Formal
8 9.3

Tricks people use to deceive others to get money or advantage

covers deceptive acts more generally, not only for advantage
deception
vsflam
6 4.3

A trick that makes something look like real magic

is more plainly intended to cheat or mislead a person
fakery
vsflam
6 6.8

A thing or action made to trick people into thinking it is real

is any deceptive act, not only making fake objects or proofs
humbuggery
vsflam
  • Archaic
1 9.7

Dishonest words or actions that try to trick people

is usually a single deceptive act rather than ongoing conduct
jiggery-pokery
vsflam
  • Archaic
9.9

Dishonest actions that try to trick people

often denotes a single deceptive act rather than general scheming

Antonyms

1.0

A fact that shows how things really are

365 1.0

Being truthful and fair in what you say and do

How Deceptive

fraud
577 4.0
scam
  • NSFW
294 3.0
con
  • Informal
107 7.2
flam
  • Archaic
1 9.9
prank
  • Informal
202 3.2

Surface Forms

flam singular
flams plural

Etymology

Flam meaning a trick comes from the older playful word flimflam, which people used for nonsense talk or a small swindle. So a flam is a 'trick' meant to fool someone.