confidence man

[ kon-fi-duhns man ]

noun

1. a person who swindles others by means of a confidence game; swindler.

confidence man

noun

1. another name for con man

Word History and Origins

Origin of confidence man¹

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

In that way, Trump is a hybrid professional wrestling heel, reality TV star, preacher, TV pitchman and confidence man fake billionaire, a carnie, and messiah father figure and lover.

From Salon

Prosecutors, though, said Tunstall’s behavior was “tantamount to the historic traveling confidence man, pitching a shingle in a new community until discovery, and then moving on to engage in similar fraudulent conduct.”

From Seattle Times

Indeed, Trump offers an almost "ideal" or typical example of the cult leader and confidence man: He is an apparent narcissist and sociopath, profoundly Machiavellian and with no moral core or fundamental decency.

From Salon

The definitive account of the confidence man Haberman portrays is decades away.

From Los Angeles Times

And Dr. Ike, as he was known, is a charismatic and especially dangerous type of confidence man because he has a medical degree.

From Salon