Synonym Chooser

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
  • Everton appear locked in a cycle where their starting No 9 flatters to deceive, is left out for the next game, but then the replacement fares little better.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Unfortunately, bank customers aren't always reimbursed when they're hit by some scams, including when they're deceived into making a payment to a con artist, such as in a romance scam.
    Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The scandal exposed how some wealthy families cheated and bribed to secure spots for their children at elite universities, sparking nationwide outrage over denied opportunities for more deserving students.
    Hanna Park, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • This isn’t the first time that the couple was surrounded by cheating rumors.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Prosecutors told the court the scheme had raised at least $650 million and called it a classic Ponzi structure that fooled even Horwitz’s closest friends.
    Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Don’t let their elegant fancy-restaurant flavors fool you.
    Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Sofia Coppola’s cult-favorite (if historically murky-at-best) 2006 film Marie Antoinette plucked the queen from history-book pages and pasted her on contemporary mood boards.
    Grace McCarty, Glamour, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Simply plucking young stars from viewers’ social-media feeds won’t radically alter or refresh SNL.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But in addition to his reputation as a womanizer, Casanova was also a con man, a skilled liar who came from a family of actors and who over the course of his life manipulated and tricked countless people to maintain wealth and status.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Malware has evolved to target macOS more aggressively than ever and many attacks now rely on tricking users rather than breaking through security software.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Still, losing out on more seasons of Zoë Kravitz playing a lovably bisexual mess navigating New York City particularly stings.
    Abby Monteil, Them., 3 Oct. 2025
  • Andreas Helmersen hit the bar while Patrick Berg’s stinging effort was saved by Guglielmo Vicario.
    Jay Harris, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Reds squeezed into the third wild-card slot for their first playoff appearance in five years.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Some people who have bought homes in the last few years feel squeezed by monthly payments that leave little cash left over.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Jackson hustles to his seat in the audience, dead center, behind the main cameras as the chat begins.
    Jem Aswad, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The costume department hustles to reattach a limping sole as the star breathes through the heat.
    Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cozen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cozen. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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