trickster
Americannoun
-
tricksters
plural
-
a deceiver; cheat; fraud.
-
a person who plays tricks.
-
a supernatural figure appearing in various guises and typically engaging in mischievous activities, important in the folklore and mythology of many primitive peoples and usually conceived as a culture hero.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of trickster
Explanation
Someone who likes to play jokes or tell fibs is a trickster. If you're a trickster, your favorite holiday is probably April Fools' Day. While we commonly use the noun trickster for anyone who plays pranks or cons you out of a dollar, the trickster is also a classic character in mythology and folklore. These trickster figures are usually smart and canny rule breakers. In Greek mythology, Hermes is often seen as a trickster, and in West African stories, a spider named Anansi is the epitome of the trickster.
Vocabulary lists containing trickster
STAAR English II: Elements of Literature 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Lesson 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Craft and Structure Vocabulary, Unit 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Watching a trickster hypnotize someone in a live performance might impress you.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2025
The work in question is a "maqāma" -- an Arabic literary form that often features a wandering "trickster."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 11, 2025
The former excels at playing the earthy, sly, seductive trickster, the latter, the pompous, self-important rich boy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2024
Crudup plays 19 characters in the 80-minute performance, taking on the roles of everyone the titular confidence trickster comes into contact with.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2024
Lita’s words remind me, “The trickster may be the one who leads you if it serves his purpose.”
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Skilling canceled the card before losing money, but the company’s fraud department explained why tricksters are so good: practice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
"Ravens have fascinated people forever," Marzluff said, noting the birds have been considered everything from "creators and tricksters" to "opportunistic pests."
From Barron's ● Mar. 12, 2026
Matt Sanchez, president and general manager of Yahoo Home Ecosystem, said the company is just trying to stay a step ahead of the tricksters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2024
But although screening at publishers is helpful, the arms race between screening methods and tricksters means it is unlikely to stem the tide of problematic papers entirely.
From Science Magazine ● May 31, 2024
The problem with tricksters is that they think everyone is playing the same games.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
