# shill

/ˈʃɪɫ/ (US) · /ʃˈɪl/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shill
Updated: 2026-10-13

## Definition

someone who pretends to be a regular customer to make you buy or bet on something. You see this word a lot in talk about scams and fake reviews.

For teachers: a person hired to pose as an enthusiastic customer or gambler in order to lure others into buying or betting. Often extends to anyone who secretly promotes a product for pay while pretending to be neutral.

## Examples

- The shill praises the phone in every online review.
- The casino uses a shill at the poker table to keep the game lively and draw in new players.
- Posing as an impartial investor, the shill floods forums with glowing forecasts to inflate demand before quietly selling his own holdings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.