flimflam

American  

[flim-flam] / ˈflɪmˌflæm /

noun

1. a trick or deception, especially a swindle or confidence game involving skillful persuasion or clever manipulation of the victim.

2. a piece of nonsense; twaddle; bosh.

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verb (used with object)

flimflammed, flimflamming

1. to trick, deceive, swindle, or cheat.

   A fortuneteller flimflammed her out of her savings.

flimflam British  

/ ˈflɪmˌflæm /

noun

1. 1. nonsense; foolishness

   2. ( as modifier )

      flimflam arguments

2. a deception; swindle

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verb

1. (tr) to deceive; trick; swindle; cheat

Other Word Forms

• flimflammer noun
• flimflammery noun

Etymology

Origin of flimflam

First recorded in 1530–40; gradational compound of expressive origin

Explanation

A flimflam is a type of scam or con. If you're smart and savvy enough to recognize a flimflam, you won't get cheated out of your money. When someone plans a complicated scheme for tricking people out of their property or money, it's a flimflam. Many flimflams are some version of a con, or "confidence game," in which the con artist first gains the trust (or "confidence") of the victim, and then swindles money from him. You can also use flimflam as a verb: "He tried to flimflam me out of my entire bank account."

Example Sentences

“They were dying off,” Whitehead writes, “the old crooks and hustlers and flimflam artists, or upstate after an ill-advised scheme to cover medical bills or six months’ back pay or new teeth.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2023

His delivery is so engaged with Eddie’s flimflam and high jinx, it is almost impossible to believe that he — or at least his voice — was not a player.

From Washington Post • Oct. 6, 2022

Don't get this wrong – Odenkirk is at his funniest when Saul Goodman turns on his fast-talking flimflam.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2022

There had been a few flimflam sales, searches for phantom titles, earnest-money payments to cabin squatters.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2022

He just as quick snatched it away and said, “I told you you were going to watch this. You can learn about how a flimflam works.”

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis