1
as in cheats
a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value
a heartless trickster swindled the elderly woman out of her life savings
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in magicians
one who practices tricks and illusions for entertainment
a very adept trickster who used mirrors to make huge items—even buildings—seem to disappear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tricksters
Like the tricksters of myth, there’s depth to their slyness.
—
Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
Floods, tricksters, battles with monsters, creation and apocalypse—sometimes the resemblances are uncanny.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Many of the short form videos are skits featuring cartoonish depictions of Putin, Khamenei and Kim Jong Un posing as tricksters that prank, imprison or kill Trump and Netanyahu.
—Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
In addition to taste testing at the wine and beer tents, see live performances by musical artists, polka dancers and BMX tricksters.
—Caroline Ritzie, The Enquirer, 21 Aug. 2025
Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
Floods, tricksters, battles with monsters, creation and apocalypse—sometimes the resemblances are uncanny.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Many of the short form videos are skits featuring cartoonish depictions of Putin, Khamenei and Kim Jong Un posing as tricksters that prank, imprison or kill Trump and Netanyahu.
—Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
In addition to taste testing at the wine and beer tents, see live performances by musical artists, polka dancers and BMX tricksters.
—Caroline Ritzie, The Enquirer, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricksters
Noun
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Iran lies, cheats, blusters and bullies.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
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The world is full of bad actors—cheats, liars, tyrants, sickos—who are, ultimately, mere human beings; at least, this was how rationality would have it.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But, while watching the rugged coastline dip in and out of fjords and spiky mountains tumble down into the sea, magicians and musicals were far from my mind.—
Karen Gardiner,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
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Someone is stealing the secrets behind magicians’ greatest tricks and selling them on illicit websites.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Ukraine faces severe personnel shortages with around 200,000 military desertions and 2 million draft-dodgers, threatening its ability to sustain the war against Russia’s 2022 invasion.—
Kirsten Grieshaber,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
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But my collection intentionally ignored the fraudulent exploits of billionaire heirs, tax dodgers and corporate magnates — defense contracts, government lobbying, bank accounts in Switzerland, shell companies in Panama, citizenship of Antigua and political asylum in London.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The area where the attack took place is known for spinner sharks, but local reports identified the shark in question as a tiger shark, according to Spanish outlet Diario Sur.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
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Other sharks, like Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran, were hesitant to make an offer due to the product’s niche business.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The decade ended tumultuously, with the Osmond family’s fortune drained by a series of swindlers and grifters.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
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This scam, according to Kent, could be proliferated with the use of AI, which can allow swindlers to enroll in many different college programs at once.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tricksters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricksters. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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