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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of con
O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 1 June 2026
Pre-tax, post-tax and no-tax plans each have their own pro’s and con’s to the employer and the employees.
—Jim Hebets, Forbes.com, 1 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
Martinez disagrees with Crookes’ assertion that the device’s benefits outweigh its cons.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 1 June 2026
Pre-tax, post-tax and no-tax plans each have their own pro’s and con’s to the employer and the employees.
—Jim Hebets, Forbes.com, 1 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 past holds Russia prisoner.—
Antony Beevor,
Washington Post,
2 June 2026
-
No ordinary filmmaker could have gotten access to such a high-profile prisoner.—
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
The whole story is wild to read, and proof that scams, both online and on your phone, are big business and can make big money.—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
29 May 2026
-
Scammers can create an AI replica of someone’s voice using a short recording of their speech — often pulled from social media or an earlier scam call that was surreptitiously recorded.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Weston is a junior at Auburn University studying environmental engineering.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
In February, Carroll County also passed a 12-month moratorium on data center development, allowing the county to study possible impacts.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The words were insinuating, territorial, postwar code from a man to anyone not scanning as local.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Her music owned up to being horny, garish, and superficial, but could scan as thin or cheap when held up to other kinds of ethical or political scrutiny.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
With no one coming to save him, Santi learned to save himself — cheating cards, running schemes, talking his way into and out of everything.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
-
People are robbed, assaulted and cheated.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Mailings of replacement cards began in March — and around that time, warnings went out that scammers might take advantage of the change to trick people into handing over personal information.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
-
Parents aren’t trying to trick kids into eating vegetables.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The 10-episode series sees Javier Bardem stepping into the role of convict Max Cady, who is released from prison after 17 years and out for revenge on the happily married attorneys (Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson) who put him behind bars.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
-
The convicts face a maximum sentence of life in prison.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Eric Celedon said authorities learned that an unidentified man entered the bank and remained inside with an unknown number of community members.—
Greg Wehner , Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
After Elayyat was arrested, investigators learned she had been convicted in 2010 for DUI in San Bernardino County.—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Con.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/con. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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