noun / verb
huckster
HUK-ster/ˈhʌkstər/
A pushy or dishonest seller or promoter, or selling or promoting in this way.
The huckster pushes a kitchen gadget on an unimpressed shopper.
Etymology
The pieces describe someone who peddles goods. The early meaning “petty merchant” was already often contemptuous; that unfavorable coloring carries into the modern pushy seller, including the later advertising sense.
More examples
- They huckster miracle cures with promises they cannot keep.
- She is tired of influencers huckstering overpriced supplements.
- The huckster won't take no for an answer.
Forms
huckster · hucksters · huckstered · huckstering
hucksterism noun — Pushy or dishonest selling or promotion.
Similar words
- pitchman
- A pitchman delivers sales pitches but is not necessarily dishonest.
- tout
- Tout emphasizes persistent promotion, without necessarily implying dishonesty.