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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of con
Mike Stobbe, Twin Cities, 28 May 2025
They were awarded our Editors’ Choice award as the best earbuds for audiophiles with just two cons to speak of: the price and bloatware in the app.
—& John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 27 May 2025
Max Levy, The Denver Post, 8 Mar. 2025
The group were among around 7,000 people recently released from scam centers run by criminal gangs and warlords operating along Myanmar’s border with Thailand, where many are held against their will and forced to work conning ordinary people, including American citizens, out of their life savings.
—Teele Rebane, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for con
Noun
Some physicians and public health leaders expressed concern that HHS officials disregarded a scientific review process that has been in place for decades, in which experts — in public meetings — review current medical evidence and hash out the pros and cons of policy changes.
—Mike Stobbe, Twin Cities, 28 May 2025
They were awarded our Editors’ Choice award as the best earbuds for audiophiles with just two cons to speak of: the price and bloatware in the app.
—& John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 27 May 2025
Verb
An Indian immigrant was sentenced to six years in prison Friday for conning a Highlands Ranch woman into buying and handing over gold bars worth more than $126,000 — her life savings, police and prosecutors say.
—Max Levy, The Denver Post, 8 Mar. 2025
The group were among around 7,000 people recently released from scam centers run by criminal gangs and warlords operating along Myanmar’s border with Thailand, where many are held against their will and forced to work conning ordinary people, including American citizens, out of their life savings.
—Teele Rebane, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for con
Cite this Entry
“Con.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/con. Accessed 21 Jun. 2025.
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