flimflam

American  

[flim-flam] / ˈflɪmˌflæm /

noun

1. a trick or deception, especially a swindle or confidence game involving skillful persuasion or clever manipulation of the victim.

2. a piece of nonsense; twaddle; bosh.

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verb (used with object)

flimflammed, flimflamming

1. to trick, deceive, swindle, or cheat.

   A fortuneteller flimflammed her out of her savings.

flimflam British  

/ ˈflɪmˌflæm /

noun

1. 1. nonsense; foolishness

   2. ( as modifier )

      flimflam arguments

2. a deception; swindle

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verb

1. (tr) to deceive; trick; swindle; cheat

Other Word Forms

• flimflammer noun
• flimflammery noun

Etymology

Origin of flimflam

First recorded in 1530–40; gradational compound of expressive origin

Explanation

A flimflam is a type of scam or con. If you're smart and savvy enough to recognize a flimflam, you won't get cheated out of your money. When someone plans a complicated scheme for tricking people out of their property or money, it's a flimflam. Many flimflams are some version of a con, or "confidence game," in which the con artist first gains the trust (or "confidence") of the victim, and then swindles money from him. You can also use flimflam as a verb: "He tried to flimflam me out of my entire bank account."

Example Sentences

That experience has made him allergic to both audience participation and flimflam, so they had decided on a format that was closer to an interview.

From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2023

Another strand connects to the country's long history of snake oil salesmen, flimflam artists and con men.

From Salon • Oct. 24, 2022

There had been a few flimflam sales, searches for phantom titles, earnest-money payments to cabin squatters.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2022

His sharp eye for the flimflam renews our enchantment, as in this description of a hotel lobby:

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2021

My blood ran cold thinking ’bout how this boy thought this was all a flimflam, and now he’d gone and let this horrible-looking man snatch ahold of his soul!

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis