to flim-flam

Examples

• All

• The salesman tried to flim-flam me into buying a car that was not worth the price.

• I say embrace the flim-flam and bamboozle.

  Academic text (2010)

• And Obama is the candidate who flim-flams?

  Blog text (11)

• 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)

• No economy can withstand the level of flim-flam that we have now institutionalized.

  Blog text (21)

• 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)

• If McCaskill wins, I will place some of the blame on her campaign, but reserve most for the Missouri voters who couldn't tell they were being flim-flammed.

  Blog text (15)

• Beware of the flim-flam artists who promise you quick riches with little effort.

Synonyms

T

to trick

vsto flim-flam

326 3.5

To make someone believe something false so you can get what you want

adds a strong focus on smooth talk and crafted schemes

S

to scam

vsto flim-flam

• NSFW

20 3.9

To trick someone into giving money or their things

covers similar deceit but is not limited to financial fraud

S

to snow

vsto flim-flam

• Slang

14 8.9

To trick someone by using false words or charm

stresses crafty or slick talk combined with a dishonest plan

B

to bamboozle

vsto flim-flam

• Informal

11 8.3

To trick someone by pretending you want to help them

leans more toward dishonest smooth talk than long schemes

B

to blow smoke

vsto flim-flam

• Informal

11 9.0

Say things that are not true to make people believe you

is more about planned dishonesty and persuasive schemes than boasting

J

to jive

vsto flim-flam

• Archaic

10 8.4

To talk in a way that is not honest to trick someone

adds the idea of a fuller dishonest scheme beyond mere speech

C

to chump

vsto flim-flam

• Slang

8 7.5

To trick someone so they look foolish

is similar but focuses on making victims appear foolish rather than talk

P

to pull a fast one on

vsto flim-flam

• Informal

5 8.1

To trick someone to gain an advantage

often uses longer talk or a worked-out deceptive scheme instead

F

to finagle

vsto flim-flam

• Informal

4 8.6

Get what you want by tricking people or using clever dishonest methods

emphasizes persuasive talk and scripted schemes over pure manipulation

S

to spoof

vsto flim-flam

3 6.0

Pretend to be a person or website online to trick people

uses clever talk or schemes rather than imitation to trick people

F

to fob

vsto flim-flam

• Informal

1 9.4

To trick someone into accepting something false or less valuable

uses persuasive speech or schemes more broadly, not just false items

F

to fox

vsto flim-flam

1 8.1

To trick someone by being clever to gain advantage

focuses more on persuasive speech and planned tricks rather than cunning moves

S

to speak with a forked tongue

vsto flim-flam

• Informal

1 9.6

Say things that are not true to trick others

includes such speech but also planned actions and schemes beyond words

P

to play false

vsto flim-flam

1 8.1

To trick someone who trusts you by hiding your real plans to get something for yourself

is broader, covering open clever talk and varied dishonest schemes

F

to flimflam

vsto flim-flam

• Archaic

9.6

To trick someone by lying or cheating

relies especially on clever talk or a dishonest planned scheme

C

to con someone

vsto flim-flam

• Slang

7.7

To trick someone to get their money

can include that but stresses clever talk as a main tool

F

to flimflammer

vsto flim-flam

• Offensive

9.9

To cheat someone using tricks or fake deals

highlights the role of persuasive talk in the deception

How Deceptive

to defraud

• Formal

40 6.9

to swindle

20 5.5

to flim-flam

• Archaic

1 9.5

to dupe

58 6.4

to mislead

87 3.9

Surface Forms

Etymology