as in scam
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
the explanation was so plausible that I never suspected it was all a con to make off with my car
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to study
to commit to memory
usually candidates con their entire campaign speech, right down to the jokes they supposedly ad-lib
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to scan
to look over closely (as for judging quality or condition)
seemed to be conning his face for any sign of uncertainty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
a fly-by-night operator who had conned hundreds of would-be homeowners out of their hard-earned money
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue
tried to con me into thinking that he had actually won the lottery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of con
Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
Earlier this year its school board was mixed on doing so and discussed the pros and cons of the program during a board meeting in January.
—Samuel O’Neal 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2026
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
One of Sharma's gangster associates tells Keefe that once Sharma realized he'd been conned, there was no way Zac was leaving the apartment alive.
—Frank Langfitt, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for con
Noun
The workgroup evaluating the use of standardized tests will look into the pros and cons of incorporating SAT, ACT or 11th grade Smarter Balanced Assessment scores in the admissions process.
—Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
Earlier this year its school board was mixed on doing so and discussed the pros and cons of the program during a board meeting in January.
—Samuel O’Neal 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2026
Verb
How to get out of an awkward situation in order to avoid booking that plane ticket back to New York, where nothing much awaits her, after conning her way into a stranger’s home?
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
One of Sharma's gangster associates tells Keefe that once Sharma realized he'd been conned, there was no way Zac was leaving the apartment alive.
—Frank Langfitt, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for con
Recent Examples of Synonyms for con
Noun
-
The Federal Defender Services of Idaho, a legal nonprofit that represents the majority of the state’s death row prisoners, declined to comment about the new firing squad protocols.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
10 June 2026
-
The Supreme Court last denied an Alabama prisoner’s request to halt his nitrogen execution in October.—
Abigail Brooks,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Brushing is where someone ships an item to a person that did not actually order it as part of a scam to improve the seller’s rating on a platform such as Amazon.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
11 Dec. 2025
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This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Over the next four weeks, the spacecraft will approach the rapidly spinning asteroid to begin studying and mapping its surface, lining up future sampling attempts.—
Andrew Jones,
Scientific American,
11 June 2026
-
The team studies how to monitor and predict the blooms, which cause environmental and economic harm.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
And there are thoughts about airing the program at other times of the year, with executives scanning game calendars.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
16 June 2026
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Guests will be prodded to scan QR codes to further go behind-the-scenes, that is if they’re not distracted watching the coaster, which will launch directly above them and then go on a journey through multiple inversions on the side of a hill.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Jay Cooke, who had once been lionized for his role in financing the Union victory, was attacked in the press and accused of cheating ordinary Americans out of their savings.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
Here, Ruhian diversifies his skill set, killing people at a distance with a bow and arrow, which feels like cheating.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
This happened after a phone phishing attack tricked someone into giving the attacker a way into the system.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Dec. 2025
-
Scammers will sometimes send fake forgiveness notices to try and get personal information or trick you into paying a fee.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
When his sentence was up, unlike the vast majority of convicts, Gaff wasn't free to go.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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In ten episodes of this comedy series, viewers will learn how to make a vibrator out of a toothbrush and a crossbow out of a coat hanger alongside young first-time convict David Broulík.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Since that occurred, stadium management has met with the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and other Town leaders to learn the reasons for the modifications and to work towards an amendment to the stadium lease that would build upon our decades-long partnership.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
He was raised by grandparents and was told Rachel was his sister, only learning the truth in adulthood.—
Michelle Gumede,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Con.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/con. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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