as in scam
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
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Recent Examples of shell game
This is a shell game — follow the ball as the three cups rotate.
—
Alexander Ooms, Denver Post, 27 May 2025
Trump lawyers are 'throwing spaghetti against the wall' or are playing a 'shell game' to see what legal strategies work to defend his policies in court battles, experts say.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 18 May 2025
The law is getting in the way of this shell game—for now.
—Karen Tumlin, Time, 6 May 2025
To demonstrate that point in a video, a researcher told a robot arm to put a bunch of plastic grapes into a clear Tupperware container, then proceeded to shift three containers around on the table in an approximation of a shyster’s shell game.
—Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shell game
Alexander Ooms, Denver Post, 27 May 2025
Trump lawyers are 'throwing spaghetti against the wall' or are playing a 'shell game' to see what legal strategies work to defend his policies in court battles, experts say.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 18 May 2025
The law is getting in the way of this shell game—for now.
—Karen Tumlin, Time, 6 May 2025
To demonstrate that point in a video, a researcher told a robot arm to put a bunch of plastic grapes into a clear Tupperware container, then proceeded to shift three containers around on the table in an approximation of a shyster’s shell game.
—Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shell game
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell game
scam
Noun
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Ny-Quasia Mazzola was wanted by the Panama City Police Department in connection with the scam, according to authorities.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
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In October 2024, the arrest of prominent Cambodian journalist Mech Dara, who helped expose the human trafficking fueling online scam centers, prompted widespread international concern.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shell game.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell%20game. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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