1
as in studying
to commit to memory
usually candidates con their entire campaign speech, right down to the jokes they supposedly ad-lib
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in examining
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 cheating
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 tricking
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
as in steering
to operate or control the course of
there was white-knuckle tension as the captain conned the gunboat through the mine-infested harbor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of conning
Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Looking to turn the tables, 80-year-old Poppy Montgomery launches a mission to defraud the fraudsters conning the elderly online.
—Diya Chacko, Oc Register, 18 May 2026
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
Often these are aimed at either conning applicants into paying up-front fees or providing personal information that the scammers later use to gain access to credit in the victim’s name.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Their father, my grandfather, was a career low-life criminal and was in jail all the time for forgery and conning people.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Officials allege that Bester bribed several prison employees into helping with his escape plan, including conning his way into an isolation cell that was located near a fire escape and in an area with limited cameras, per the docuseries, NBC News and GroundUp.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
There was at least one other incident in which Bustillo is accused of conning a player out of $4,000.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Looking to turn the tables, 80-year-old Poppy Montgomery launches a mission to defraud the fraudsters conning the elderly online.
—Diya Chacko, Oc Register, 18 May 2026
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
Often these are aimed at either conning applicants into paying up-front fees or providing personal information that the scammers later use to gain access to credit in the victim’s name.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Their father, my grandfather, was a career low-life criminal and was in jail all the time for forgery and conning people.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Officials allege that Bester bribed several prison employees into helping with his escape plan, including conning his way into an isolation cell that was located near a fire escape and in an area with limited cameras, per the docuseries, NBC News and GroundUp.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conning
Verb
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That led to the Identity Project, a multiyear effort in which Bloomfield High School students spent the year studying the Holocaust and genocide.—
Helen I. Bennett,
Hartford Courant,
19 June 2026
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González developed her classic yet defiantly modern approach while studying at the University of Seville, where Spanish masters such as Diego Velázquez and Francisco de Zurbarán painted in the naturalist Baroque tradition.—
Jane Horowitz,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Verb
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During the quantum program, Dash worked with Flores and another member of the cohort to develop a project examining how quantum computing could be used to detect the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
22 June 2026
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Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Start by examining the leaves.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
21 June 2026
Verb
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For example, a spouse who catches their partner cheating and kills someone in the heat of emotion.—
Lorena O’Neil,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2026
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Few colleges have developed an intellectual integrity curriculum that treats cheating as a habit and works to counter it over the four years of a student’s college education.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Verb
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The schemes involve a predator pretending to be a teenager online and tricking victims into sending illicit photos of themselves.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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Such techniques typically work by tricking the user into approving a request to approve a device owned by the attacker instead.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2026
Verb
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César Armas Morales A journalist and documentary director with more than two decades steering television projects, César Armas Morales has established himself as one of the Canary Islands’ most consistently broadcast non-fiction voices.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
19 June 2026
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Appiolaza’s exit comes amid a broader restructuring and follows the appointment of Riccardo Bagolin as general manager on June 3, who has been tasked with steering a turnaround for the Aeffe group alongside chief restructuring officer Stefano Falliti.—
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Websites like AirHelp can assist you in learning what you’re entitled to based on your itinerary, and in claiming the compensation you’re owed.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
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This revival finds new power in the intimate story of a family learning to love again set against one of the most consequential moments of the twentieth century, as the Nazi regime rises to power and authoritarianism encroaches on daily life.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
23 June 2026
Verb
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While several days have passed and the thousands initially left without power after the storm have almost all had their electricity restored, NWS is still surveying the damage.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
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As residents of parts of these states were recovering and surveying the damage from a destructive derecho that swept through Wednesday night with up to 80 mph winds, they were hit again less than 24 hours later with another round of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Letting go of the idea that success requires hustling at all costs — and replacing it with goals that feel attainable — can help founders shift toward a more sustainable approach, one where progress doesn't come at the cost of their well-being.—
Holly Eve,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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Sweeney’s character, Cassie Howard, ends the final episode still hustling, despite the violent death of her husband Nate (Jacob Elordi), the passing of her high school friend Rue (Zendaya), and the dismantling of her OnlyFans account.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conning. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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