wheeler dealer vs operator

wheeler dealer and operator both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
wheeler dealer	Yes	No	No	No
operator	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, wheeler dealer and operator are synonyms defined as:

wheeler dealer and operator: a shrewd or unscrupulous person who knows how to circumvent difficulties

Other synonyms of wheeler dealer include hustler.

wheeler dealer (noun)	operator (noun)
a shrewd or unscrupulous person who knows how to circumvent difficulties	an agent that operates some apparatus or machine
	someone who owns or operates a business
	a shrewd or unscrupulous person who knows how to circumvent difficulties
	a speculator who trades aggressively on stock or commodity markets
	(mathematics) a symbol or function representing a mathematical operation