shyster
Americannoun
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a lawyer who uses unprofessional or questionable methods.
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a person who gets along by petty, sharp practices.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of shyster
1835–45, probably < German Scheisser, equivalent to scheiss ( en ) to shit + -er -er 1; final -ser conformed to -ster
Explanation
A shyster is someone who might rip you off or do something unethical in order to get his way. A used car salesman might tell you a car is a thousand dollars, but when you read the fine print, it turns out you’ll pay a lot more. That salesman is a shyster — someone who lies and deceives for his own benefit. The word comes from the 18th century German Scheisser, which is a vulgar term for “worthless person.” You can remember the meaning of shyster by remembering that it sounds like heist, since shysters are basically trying to rob you.
Vocabulary lists containing shyster
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I, Robot
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The Mighty Miss Malone
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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.
But while Kim fell for Jimmy, she could take or leave Saul, a swaggering shyster who bends and breaks the law for evil men.
From Salon • Dec. 10, 2022
An easier dispute system would make it unnecessary for consumers to seek help from shyster credit repair companies.
From Washington Post • Jan. 7, 2022
Steyn charged: “And it turns out he's not a heroic presidential speaking truth to power a guy, he's just a flimflam shyster who steals from his clients.”
From Fox News • Apr. 30, 2019
And then the tape ends and we are back to where Saul started, as Jimmy McGill, a slip-and-fall shyster trying to walk back to more honorable pursuits by taking on public defender work.
From New York Times • Jan. 14, 2015
If a man can possibly avoid it, let him never go to the hospital: for he will be called a "skulker," or a "shyster," that desires to escape the impending battle.
From Campaigns of a Non-Combatant, and His Romaunt Abroad During the War by Townsend, George Alfred
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.
