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shill

American  
[shil] / ʃɪl /

noun

  1. a person who poses as a customer in order to decoy others into participating, as at a gambling house, auction, confidence game, etc.

  2. a person who publicizes or praises something or someone for reasons of self-interest, personal profit, or friendship or loyalty.

verb (used without object)

  1. to work as a shill.

    He shills for a large casino.

verb (used with object)

  1. to advertise or promote (a product) as or in the manner of a huckster; hustle.

    He was hired to shill a new TV show.
shill British  
/ ʃɪl /

noun

  1. slang a confidence trickster's assistant, esp a person who poses as an ordinary customer, gambler, etc, in order to entice others to participate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does shill mean? A shill is a person who praises or promotes something because they secretly have a personal stake in it.

Etymology

Origin of shill

First recorded in 1920–25; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It did not shill partnerships with brands in an effort to become a hub of sponsored content that passes for journalism-adjacent.

From Slate • Feb. 1, 2024

“He primaried me last year, so I’m not a shill, but I see this and I see how unfair it’s been.”

From Washington Times • Jun. 9, 2023

“I’ve been accused of being a shill for the fossil fuel industry.”

From Washington Post • Mar. 24, 2023

I’ve never taken such accusations seriously because, while I’m sure I write things that many readers disagree with, I know I’m not a shill or an apologist or a propagandist for America’s adversaries.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2023

You’re not a shill for a pack of roadagents?

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.