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

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

"There was a lot of flimflam with him. He conned me pretty good."

From Salon • Oct. 11, 2022

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

From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2022

It’s not apparent that their offering is any more flimflam than that of other brands.

From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2021

My blood ran cold thinking ’bout how this boy thought this was all a flimflam, and now he’d gone and let this horrible-looking man snatch ahold of his soul!

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis