Thesaurus results for SCAM

scam

noun

ˈskam

Definition of scam

as in fraud

an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value that's just a scam to bilk insurance companies for staged accidents

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 scam Netflix announced Wednesday that the next installment of its Untold sports documentary series will tackle the story of Daejon Love, the viral scam artist who posed as an NFL star to scam dates out of millions of dollars. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, out on the streets, young con artist Thomas Shepherd (Ruaridh Mollica) and pickpocket Lisa Molinari (Lauren Morais) are running petty scams. — Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Judging by the surge in both the number and range of baits used on authors over the past couple of years, the scams seem to be launched from multiple territories. — Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 13 Oct. 2026 The Joint Economic Committee’s investigation sought to combat the prevalence of romance scams on platforms owned by Match Group, the biggest online dating company in the world, with a portfolio that includes Tinder, Hinge, Match and Plenty of Fish. — Vicky Nguyen, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scam

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scam

Noun

That changed after the 2020 presidential election, when secretaries of state in places such as Arizona, Georgia and Michigan were thrust into battles over election results, certification and false claims of widespread fraud.

— Thom Reilly, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
As Vanity Fair reported at the time, the article led to an all-hands meeting at The Times where some staffers questioned the choice to run a soft profile on a woman who had been convicted of fraud and was about to head to prison.

— Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of fraud

Noun

Upon joining, the young employees typically get assigned to a unit, each designed around a specific literary swindle.

— Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 13 Oct. 2026
Eventually, the great hip-hop swindle gets out of hand, and threatens to break up Billy’s relationship with longtime sweetheart Mary (Lucy Halliday).

— Al Shipley, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of swindle

Noun

Running errands and a real estate con What follows comes from the referee’s report and the probable cause affidavits after Morin and Corcoran’s arrests.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
Spanning two continents, the show — based on an incredible true story — delves into what happens when what begins as a simple con turns into one of the largest cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes in history.

— Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of con

Noun

The court order stems from a finding that Shkreli organized an anti-competitive scheme to perpetuate his company Vyera Pharmaceuticals’ monopoly in the anti-parasitic drug Daraprim.

— Dan Mangan, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Similar Excel spreadsheets are used to organize schemes where Indian scammers in Delhi or Kolkata impersonate Microsoft tech support, the Internal Revenue Service or even the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

— Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of scheme

Browse Nearby Words

scaly

scam

scammer

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“Scam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scam. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of scam

noun

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