shell games

noun

plural of shell game
as in scams
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value it's amazing how intelligent people fall for that investment-fund shell game

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shell games Fortunately, the authors of the study point out several things states can and should do to prevent these kinds of financial shell games. — Peter Ubel, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Budget shell games, in other words. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell games
scams
Noun
  • Off-grid residents blur the line between housed and homeless, as county officials juggle lax enforcement, environmental damage, real estate scams and calls to legalize basic services such as addresses and trash pickup.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • So how can consumers avoid scams and trust real organizations?
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of scams

Browse Nearby Words

shell game
shell games
shelling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shell games.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell%20games. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All