thimblerig 1 of 2

verb

Definition of thimblerignext
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats had the feeling that I had just been thimblerigged by the sweetest-looking old lady

Synonyms & Similar Words

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thimblerig

2 of 2

noun

as in three-card monte

Related Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thimblerig
  1. cheat
  2. three-card monte
  3. squeeze
  4. pyramid scheme
  5. pluck
  6. Ponzi scheme
  7. hustle
  8. racket
Verb
  • The company remains one of the world’s largest automakers and carries the legacy of Dieselgate, the emissions-cheating scandal that cost it billions of dollars in fines, settlements and other penalties.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • At the same time, as families pour more resources into preparing young people for the exams, frequent cheating scandals and test cancellations can make their investment moot.
    — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheat
Noun
  • That subplot also introduces the metaphor of three-card monte that runs throughout the episode.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
  • The Moore administration has chosen the opposite approach, doubling down on spending while shuffling money around in a game of three-card monte.
    — J.B. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of three-card monte
Verb
  • But the highlight of the spa is the infinity-edge rock pool, squeezed into a canyon between towering rock walls, with views out over the valley beyond.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • It’s being squeezed by all sorts of forces, commercial forces, corporate forces, political forces.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Noun
  • Among them was the founder of a major pyramid scheme that defrauded thousands of Colombians of their savings, as well as Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman with close ties to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was later extradited to the United States on money-laundering charges.
    — John Otis, NPR, 21 June 2026
  • Attention online—which is to say, the modern entertainment industry at large—can look a bit like a pyramid scheme, with each lower layer trying to siphon a segment of audience away from the more famous one above.
    — Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of pyramid scheme
Verb
  • At their most basic, these may consist of just two elements, such as a stone and a sheet of raw steel—that is, an element plucked from the natural world and one of industrial manufacture.
    — Barry Schwabsky, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Rice and Schlittler were both raised among Red Sox fans in Massachusetts and went to college in New England before getting plucked by the Yankees out of Boston’s backyard in baseball’s amateur draft.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of pluck
Noun
  • The result is a kind of Ponzi scheme that bottoms out in nothing.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
  • That’s not to say that AI is a fad, a fraud, or a Ponzi scheme.
    — byDoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of Ponzi scheme
Verb
  • But the bad news was he got thrown out trying to hustle into second.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Quickly, the house lights come up, and Lay and family are hustled backstage to get reacquainted.
    — Joan Kron, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of hustle
Noun
  • The Associated Press SHENZHEN, China -- SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Elina Svitolina slammed her racket on the court to celebrate earning Ukraine a spot in the Billie Jean King Cup final for the first time Saturday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The materials appeared in Budweiser cardholders and Stella Artois tennis racket sleeves.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of racket
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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thigh-slappers
thimblerig
thimblerigged
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Cite this Entry

“Thimblerig.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thimblerig. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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