Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

skin-game

noun

/skɪn ɡeɪm/

Definition

A swindle or deceptive scheme, especially one where someone risks their own money or resources to gain from a dishonest act.

Examples

Many believed that the investment opportunity was just a skin-game designed to cheat unaware investors.
She got caught up in a skin-game where the promises of profit were too good to be true.
The con artist’s skin-game involved convincing victims to invest their savings in a fake business venture.

Meaning

The term ‘skin-game’ refers to a situation in which an individual or group engages in dishonest behavior or trickery for profit, often at the expense of others. It suggests a form of gambling on a person’s own resources, implying that they have something personal at stake in the deception.