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shill

American  
[shil] / ʃɪl /

noun

  1. a person who poses as a customer in order to decoy others into participating, as at a gambling house, auction, confidence game, etc.

  2. a person who publicizes or praises something or someone for reasons of self-interest, personal profit, or friendship or loyalty.

verb (used without object)

  1. to work as a shill.

    He shills for a large casino.

verb (used with object)

  1. to advertise or promote (a product) as or in the manner of a huckster; hustle.

    He was hired to shill a new TV show.
shill British  
/ ʃɪl /

noun

  1. slang a confidence trickster's assistant, esp a person who poses as an ordinary customer, gambler, etc, in order to entice others to participate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does shill mean? A shill is a person who praises or promotes something because they secretly have a personal stake in it.

Etymology

Origin of shill

First recorded in 1920–25; origin uncertain

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.

It did not shill partnerships with brands in an effort to become a hub of sponsored content that passes for journalism-adjacent.

From Slate • Feb. 1, 2024

Late last month, Tom Hanks warned fans that a video in which he appeared to shill for dental care was in fact an AI-generated fake.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 12, 2023

“He primaried me last year, so I’m not a shill, but I see this and I see how unfair it’s been.”

From Washington Times • Jun. 9, 2023

Some commentators have suggested that Ms. Paltrow is using the opportunity to shill for her company, Goop, identifying various items as from its clothing line or for sale on the site.

From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2023

You’re not a shill for a pack of roadagents?

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Definitions 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.