con 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈkän How to pronounce con (audio)
Definition of connext
as in prisoner
a person convicted as a criminal and serving a prison sentence a program to help ex-cons find employment

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con

2 of 4

noun (2)

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

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con

3 of 4

verb (1)

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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

con

4 of 4

verb (2)

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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of con
Noun
But there are also cons to buying a condo including sky-high HOA and parking fees, and emergency assessments, which could cost thousands of dollars. — Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 Vicki and Tamra are meeting up to get their Prenuvo scans, and no, this is definitely not spon-con. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
Stapley’s own fascination with the art of the con began after her mother was conned out of her life savings. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 Both companies recently disclosed that their models hacked into external organizations, but in those instances there was no obvious attempt to con humans. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for con
Recent Examples of Synonyms for con
  1. prisoner
  2. scam
  3. study
  4. scan
  5. cheat
  6. trick
  7. convict
  8. learn
Noun
  • Archival television interviews feature soundbites of Odeh expressing sympathy for the terrorists’ demands that Israel release Palestinian prisoners — although those broadcasts ignored the fact that Odeh had actually condemned the hijacking.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • From the very start, the students assigned as guards went on cruel power trips and repeatedly humiliated — if not psychologically tortured — the inmates, to the point that some of the prisoners suffered nervous breakdowns.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of prisoner
Noun
  • The victim was scammed out of $60,000 by several different people on the same scam.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The report urged Congress to pass pending legislation that would mandate a unified federal strategy to combat scams and establish a central location for victims to report losses and seek help.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of scam
Verb
  • Virzi, a one-time doctoral candidate at UC San Diego studying clinical psychology, traveled to Pittsburgh in June 2024 to meet the twins and spend time with her best friend’s growing family.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Stewart was born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, England, and took to acting at a young age, studying drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and performing in numerous theatrical productions before making his way to Hollywood.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of study
Verb
  • It can’t be scanned in a single line or column; it is contained by no frame other than the facade itself.
    — Alec Mapes-Frances, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The spotters stand at the end of each of the aisles of the theatre-like seating area, with their backs to the horses and their eyes scanning the crowd for the slightest tick of movement to signal a bid.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of scan
Verb
  • There are people out there saying that the Brewers are cheating.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • There’s simply no evidence of widespread voter cheating anywhere.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheat
Verb
  • As is the custom, millions of children in the United States will be out in the streets this Halloween to trick-or-treat, decked out in costumes.
    — Muizz Akhtar, Vox, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Recommended by Our Editors Others have reported hackers trying to trick users into installing malware through the troubleshooting section on KytyPS5's GitHub page.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Noun
  • Buchanan, 72, had been incarcerated since 2004 for kidnapping a convict who was harassing a corrupt prison guard.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • After a career spent playing convicts and criminals, the opportunity was appealing to Trejo.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of convict
Verb
  • Unlike training approaches that largely depend on preparing datasets and updating models before deployment, this framework allows robots to continue learning while performing actual jobs.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Beyond meals, the Center for Wine & Culinary Arts is a highlight—guests can enjoy complimentary daily tastings to learn about Rhode Island food and wine.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of learn

Phrases Containing con

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Comstockery
con
concatenate
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Cite this Entry

“Con.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/con. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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