brokefishing

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noun

The practice of playing financially disadvantaged with the goal of having another party in an interpersonal relationship spend more money or provide a financial safety net or in order to attract immaterial benefits such as sympathy.

Scrabble 25
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Meanings

nounbrokefishing (uncountable)
  1. neologismslanguncountableThe practice of playing financially disadvantaged with the goal of having another party in an interpersonal relationship spend more money or provide a financial safety net or in order to attract immaterial benefits such as sympathy.

Origin

Blend of broke + catfishing. Coined by Refinery 29 journalist Pema Bakshi in 2022. The economic environment is provided by the Wikipedia articles 2021–2023 inflation surge and cost-of-living crisis.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

brokefishing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brokefishing

MLA

“brokefishing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brokefishing. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “brokefishing,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brokefishing.

Source: brokefishing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.