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swindle

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb swindle contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of swindle are cheat, cozen, and defraud. While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence.

swindled of their savings by con artists

When would cheat be a good substitute for swindle?

The words cheat and swindle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

When might cozen be a better fit than swindle?

The synonyms cozen and swindle are sometimes interchangeable, but cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose.

always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

When could defraud be used to replace swindle?

The meanings of defraud and swindle largely overlap; 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

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 swindle
Noun
Frauds, swindles, cons, scams, and deceptions — collectively known as hoaxes. Scott Neuman, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025 Martini plays Porter Baldwin, a cutthroat East Coast businessman clawing his way back to respectability through a land swindle in the West. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Tish only swindled the bank out of $19,000. Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 11 Oct. 2025 You might be swindled or lied to. Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for swindle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swindle
Noun
  • This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Therefore, talking about expectations, boundaries, and spotting scams may not be new topics in many families.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Blashill wants the Blackhawks to be a fast-pressure team at both ends of the rink, one that attacks vertically but never cheats for offense.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
  • When athletes are caught cheating, a number of familiar examples are often brought up.
    David Hill, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The polls had him on top for months, and his decision to focus his mayoral campaign on cost-of-living issues proved to be the right one in a city where residents are increasingly squeezed between growing rents and ever costlier public services.
    Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Aid is declining and rising debt is squeezing public budgets.
    Obiageli Ezekwesili, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • While basic first aid can often ease the pain of a bee sting, according to the Mayo Clinic, those who are stung more than a dozen times can experience a more severe reaction, which includes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and lightheadedness.
    Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Considering that one cocktail could cost one hour of some employees’ wages, the removal of that free drink benefit stung even more, Quimby and Reber told Deadline.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Pieces from Stock are often plucked by stylists for celebrity editorials for Vanity Fair, Esquire and GQ.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
  • This faux Dunhill Fir is designed to look and feel like a tree plucked straight off the lot, without the single-season lifespan or mess of shedding needles.
    Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Outerlands stars Dillon as thirtysomething Cass, who hustles jobs as a server, nanny and party drug dealer to make rent on their tiny San Francisco apartment.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
  • But Boberg, a freshman defender, hustled to the goal line to block the attempt.
    Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Defendants Patrick and Charles Boyd were convicted of defrauding the Food and Drug Administration by using their wholesale business to buy more than $90 million of illicit pharmaceutical drugs in other parts of the country and distribute them to unwitting customers in South Florida.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
  • After receiving his commutation, Santos expressed remorse for defrauding people and vowed to make improving the nation’s prisons his life’s work.
    Khalil Cumberbatch, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Gordon warned me that this was deceiving.
    Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Santos was sentenced to prison in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people — including his own family members — to make donations to his campaign.
    David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swindle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swindle. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on swindle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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