huckster

[ huhk-ster ]

noun

1. a retailer of small articles, especially a peddler of fruits and vegetables; hawker.
2. a person who employs showy methods to effect a sale, win votes, etc.:

   the crass methods of political hucksters.

3. a cheaply mercenary person.
4. Informal.
   1. a persuasive and aggressive salesperson.
   2. a person who works in the advertising industry, especially one who prepares aggressive advertising for radio and television.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to deal, as in small articles, or to make petty bargains:

   to huckster fresh corn; to huckster for a living.

2. to sell or promote in an aggressive and flashy manner.

huckster

/ ˈhʌkstə /

noun

1. a person who uses aggressive or questionable methods of selling
2. rare.
   a person who sells small articles or fruit in the street
3. a person who writes for radio or television advertisements

verb

1. tr to peddle
2. tr to sell or advertise aggressively or questionably
3. to haggle (over)

Derived Forms

• ˈhucksterism, noun

Other Words From

• huckster·ism noun
• huckster·ish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of huckster¹

1150–1200; Middle English huccstere (perhaps cognate with Middle Dutch hokester ), equivalent to hucc- haggle (cognate with dialectal German hucken to huckster) + -stere -ster

Word History and Origins

Origin of huckster¹

C12: perhaps from Middle Dutch hoekster, from hoeken to carry on the back

Example Sentences

“This is how fascism comes to America, not with jackboots and salutes,” Robert Kagan, a political commentator and former editor-at-large for the Washington Post, wrote in 2016, “but with a television huckster, a phony billionaire, a textbook egomaniac.”

From Los Angeles Times

MyPillow huckster Mike Lindell, freshly shorn of his walrus mustache, tried to debate a 12-year-old .

From Salon

I couldn’t defend myself, even against a portly old huckster like Samir.

From Literature

“These things mattered, and these are issues which are still relevant today,” said Darryl M. Bell, who played the Hillman huckster Ron Johnson.

From New York Times

What can anyone expect from a huckster, who will peddle anything and anyone to line his pockets?

From Salon