three-card monte

[three-kahrd] / ˈθriˌkɑrd /

NOUN

gambling game

Synonyms

WEAK

shell game thimblerig

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

His three-card monte skills are storied in the neighborhood, but he’s determined to proceed down the straight and narrow.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2025

But these dynamics are uncertain in a play that treats identity like a game of three-card monte.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2024

If you see anyone playing three-card monte or a shell game, just keep walking.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 28, 2023

Corey Hawkins plays Lincoln, a three-card monte hustler turned Abraham Lincoln impersonator in an arcade shooting game, opposite Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the boastful, envious Booth, for whom inheritance is everything.

From New York Times • Jul. 15, 2021

Yakov won the first two games, but when it came time to find the Lady at three-card monte, he uncovered a worthless heart.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros