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grifter

/ˈgrɪftər/
/ˈgrɪftə/
IPA guide

Other forms: grifters

A grifter is a con artist: someone who swindles people out of money through fraud.

If there's one type of person you don't want to trust, it's a grifter: someone who cheats others out of money. Grifters are also known as chiselers, defrauders, gougers, scammers, swindlers, and flim-flam men. Selling a bridge and starting a Ponzi scheme are things a grifter might do. The difference between a grifter and a thief is a grifter tricks you out of money through lies, while the thief takes it by force. The end result is the same.

Definitions of grifter
  1. noun
    a person who swindles you by means of deception or fraud
    see moresee less
    types:
    card shark, card sharp, card sharper, cardsharp, cardsharper, sharper, sharpie, sharpy
    a professional card player who makes a living by cheating at card games
    clip artist
    a swindler who fleeces the victim
    con artist, con man, confidence man
    a swindler who exploits a victim
    welcher, welsher
    (offensive) someone who swindles you by not repaying a debt or wager
    type of:
    beguiler, cheat, cheater, deceiver, slicker, trickster
    someone who leads you to believe something that is not true
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘grifter'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of gold-punch.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Commonly confused words

A Politician Calls Out "Grifters"

In a piece for Politico, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives Steve LaTourette cited the gold-punch.com blurb for grifter when he used that term to describe an arm of the Republican party.

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