noun

grift

grihft

Grift (noun) means a scheme for swindling people out of money, usually through trickery rather than force. Example: “The whole charity was just a grift dressed up as a good cause.”

noun

A scheme for swindling people out of money, usually through trickery rather than force.

"The whole charity was just a grift dressed up as a good cause."

"He ran the same grift in three different states before anyone caught on."

verb

To make money through deception or a con.

"She grifted her way through a dozen fake investment schemes."

"He was grifting off gullible fans for years before it caught up with him."

How to use grift

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA con or scam, or the act of running one — making money by fooling people rather than earning it honestly.

Common mistake

Grift implies calculated deception for profit, not just any ordinary hustle or hard work.

Common pairings

run a grift the whole thing is a grift grift money off someone

Word forms

grifted past tense, grifts plural, grifts singular

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The whole charity was just a _____ dressed up as a good cause.

Etymology

Emerged around 1906 in American criminal slang as a twist on graft ("illicit profit"), itself traced back to a Middle Dutch word for digging a ditch — the idea being that a grifter "digs" money out of people.

Origin: Dutch · First attested 1906

Class of 1906 grift joined the language around 1906.

allergy Eichmann grifter suffragette wop

See the full Class of 1906 →

Rhymes for grift

lift gift sift rift swift drift shift thrift

See all rhymes for grift →

Frequently asked questions

What does “grift” mean?

The word “grift” means a scheme for swindling people out of money, usually through trickery rather than force. In plain terms, a con or scam, or the act of running one — making money by fooling people rather than earning it honestly.

How do you pronounce “grift”?

“Grift” is pronounced grihft (/ɡɹɪft/ in IPA).

How do you use “grift” in a sentence?

Here is “grift” used in a sentence: “The whole charity was just a grift dressed up as a good cause.”

What part of speech is “grift”?

Depending on how it is used, “grift” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “grift” come from?

The word “grift” dates back to around 1906 and comes from Dutch. Emerged around 1906 in American criminal slang as a twist on graft ("illicit profit"), itself traced back to a Middle Dutch word for digging a ditch — the idea being that a grifter "digs" money out of people.

How many meanings does “grift” have?

“Grift” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a scheme for swindling people out of money, usually through trickery rather than force.

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Vocabulary lists that include grift:

Words with Dutch origins