What does "grifter" mean?
A con artist; someone who pulls confidence games; a swindler, scammer, huckster, hustler, and/or charlatan.
Grifter
/ˈɡɹɪftɚ/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A con artist; someone who pulls confidence games; a swindler, scammer, huckster, hustler, and/or charlatan.
- Grammar: grifter is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: swindler, chiseler, chiseller, con artist.
- Useful contrasts: honest person, law-abiding citizen.
- Usage evidence: Donald Trump is a consummate grifter.
How to use "grifter"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "grifter" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "grifter" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "grifter" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "grifter" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "swindler" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A con artist; someone who pulls confidence games; a swindler, scammer, huckster, hustler, and/or charlatan. US, informal
"We're all grifters. So we sell each other out for a nickel."
- 2 a person who swindles you by means of deception or fraud wordnet
- 3 A manipulator or otherwise generally corrupt person who "games" a system, group of people, or other entity for selfish gains; especially of a political "sell-out" perceived as lacking integrity. Internet, colloquial, especially
"The latest act in the Madness of King Donald drama playing globally on every channel underlined the increasingly delusional world the anti-hero inhabits, his fantasies fed and indulged by a cast of sycophants, lackeys and straight grifters, all in it for what they can get."
Antonyms
honest personlaw-abiding citizen
Example
"Donald Trump is a consummate grifter."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "grifter"?
Common synonyms include: swindler, chiseler, chiseller, con artist, deceiver, defrauder.
How do you use "grifter" in a sentence?
Donald Trump is a consummate grifter.
How do you pronounce "grifter"?
Pronounced /ˈɡɹɪftɚ/.
Etymology
From grift + -er; or probably an alteration of grafter (“a corrupt person, one who accepts bribes”), which is essentially a doublet of the same word. Originally circus slang (carny; compare shill of similar semantics), gradually widened in sense. First attested in 1906; popularized online circa late 2010s.