COZEN Synonyms: 110 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'cozen' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cozen are cheat , defraud , and swindle . While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose. // always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

Q: Where would 'cheat' be a reasonable alternative to 'cozen'?

The words cheat and cozen can be used in similar contexts, but cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation. // cheated me out of a dollar

Q: When would 'defraud' be a good substitute for 'cozen'?

In some situations, the words defraud and cozen are roughly equivalent. However, defraud stresses depriving one of his or her rights and usually connotes deliberate perversion of the truth. // defrauded of her inheritance by an unscrupulous lawyer

Q: When can 'swindle' be used instead of 'cozen'?

While in some cases nearly identical to cozen , swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence. // swindled of their savings by con artists

cozen

verb

ˈkə-zən

Definition of cozen

as in to deceive

to cause to believe what is untrue cozened several elderly ladies into believing that he was intending marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to cheat

to rob by the use of trickery or threats cozened scores of people by persuading them to hand over funds that he would "invest"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb cozen contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cozen are cheat, defraud, and swindle. While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose.

always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

Where would cheat be a reasonable alternative to cozen?

The words cheat and cozen can be used in similar contexts, but cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

When would defraud be a good substitute for cozen?

In some situations, the words defraud and cozen are roughly equivalent. However, defraud stresses depriving one of his or her rights and usually connotes deliberate perversion of the truth.

defrauded of her inheritance by an unscrupulous lawyer

When can swindle be used instead of cozen?

While in some cases nearly identical to cozen, swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence.

swindled of their savings by con artists

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 cozen The point, however, is not to entertain the driver/employee but to cozen the owner. — Dan Neil, WSJ, 19 Dec. 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cozen

Verb

In an era when AI generates convincing falsehoods at scale and a third of teenagers report being deceived by fake content online, the ability to weigh evidence critically is not an academic exercise but a plain necessity.

— Rajiv Vinnakota, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Andreas Schjelderup opened the scoring with a spectacular cross-shot that deceived Jordan Pickford and, although Jude Bellingham struck back for England in first-half stoppage time, Norway looked the more likely winners as the second period wore on.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of deceive

Verb

For anyone still motivated to cheat, election systems in the United States are designed with multiple layers of protection and transparency intended to stand in the way.

— Ali Swenson, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
The president used California, a favorite target, to hint that Democrats were cheating.

— Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of cheat

Verb

You may be fooled into joining a brokerage with high fees, poor investment options or other red flags.

— Dan Avery, CNBC, 17 July 2026
Jairzinho, Brazil vs Italy, 1970 Jairzinho steals in to give Brazil a two-goal lead with 20 minutes left, controlling the ball with his thigh and then failing to connect with his finish, which is enough to fool goalkeeper Enrico Albertosi.

— Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of fool

Verb

The fact that celebrity landed upon him, plucking him from the obscurity of his mission to represent the burgeoning discourse on the disease, says more about the world that orbited him than his actions on the island or his own political nous.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
And their semi-final victory over England was plucked from another incredibly precarious position.

— Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of pluck

Verb

Forced to drink it herself to try to trick Mysaria, who finds out anyway.

— Brian Grubb, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Therefore, by sending a low-voltage electrical pulse to either antenna, scientists can trick the cockroach into turning in the opposite direction, effectively allowing operators to steer the living robot via remote control.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 July 2026

Definition of trick

Verb

Symptoms of smoke inhalation include coughing, trouble breathing, wheezing, asthma attacks, stinging eyes, scratchy throat, runny nose and irritated sinuses, headaches, tiredness, chest pain and a fast heartbeat.

— Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 17 July 2026
But that came before Williams’ stinging comments about the settlement between the Justice Department and IRS.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of sting

Verb

Americans are spending their days hustling and waiting for the opportunity to hustle, their days broken up into unpredictable units of work and languishing.

— Xochitl Gonzalez, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
With one hour to collect their gear and pack the school bus taking them to Miami Gardens, the kids hustled to get ready to make their World Cup debut.

— Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026

Definition of hustle

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coyotes

cozen

cozenage

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“Cozen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cozen. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of cozen

verb

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