pyramid scheme
noun
: a usually illegal operation in which participants pay to join and profit mainly from payments made by subsequent participants
Examples of pyramid scheme in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Our society is a pyramid scheme, with the young supporting the old.
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Emma Green, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024
There’s a whole pyramid scheme of sorts, and there’s all these other parts of the book that didn’t fit into this story.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2024
Like a pyramid scheme, Patriot Front effectively paid for its operations by amassing new members.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2024
This came as welcome news to consumers, who drew comparisons between the business concept and problematic pyramid schemes, which rely on profiting from sign-up fees rather than the sale of actual products.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 28 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pyramid scheme 
Emma Green, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024
There’s a whole pyramid scheme of sorts, and there’s all these other parts of the book that didn’t fit into this story.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2024
Like a pyramid scheme, Patriot Front effectively paid for its operations by amassing new members.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2024
This came as welcome news to consumers, who drew comparisons between the business concept and problematic pyramid schemes, which rely on profiting from sign-up fees rather than the sale of actual products.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 28 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pyramid scheme
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pyramid scheme.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Pyramid scheme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pyramid%20scheme. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
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