trickster

noun

trick·​ster ˈtrik-stər 

: one who tricks: such as

a

: a dishonest person who defrauds others by trickery

b

: a person (such as a stage magician) skilled in the use of tricks and illusion

c

: a cunning or deceptive character appearing in various forms in the folklore of many cultures

Synonyms

• bilk
• bilker
• cheat
• cheater
• chiseler
• chiseller
• confidence man
• cozener
• defrauder
• dodger
• fakir
• finagler
• fraudster [chiefly British]
• hoaxer
• scammer
• scamster
• shark
• sharper
• sharpie
• sharpy
• skinner
• swindler
• tricker

Examples of trickster in a Sentence

a heartless trickster swindled the elderly woman out of her life savings

a very adept trickster who used mirrors to make huge items—even buildings—seem to disappear

Recent Examples on the Web

The trickster planet ushers from Aries to Pisces on March 29, encouraging us to set aside our instincts and go with the flow. —Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2024

Dylan the trickster conspired with Scorsese to make up stuff according to whim. —Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024

His Club Shay Shay session with Shannon Sharpe was an unofficial run for HNIC (with trickster Charleston White being the only other contender). —Rob Marriott, VIBE.com, 30 Dec. 2024

Iago, like Benedick, is a trickster only half a step ahead of his own conceit. —Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1711, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing trickster

• confidence trickster

Kids Definition

trickster

noun

trick·​ster ˈtrik-stər 

: one who tricks: as

a

: a dishonest person who cheats others by trickery

b

: magician sense 2