Synonyms of swindle

swindle 1 of 2

noun

as in scam

an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value

identity theft has become one of the most frequent and feared swindles of our time

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scam
• fraud
• con
• bunko
• scheme
• hoax
• flimflam
• sting
• bunco
• shell game
• fiddle
• trick
• hustle
• device
• racket
• cross
• counterfeit
• stratagem
• Ponzi scheme
• fix
• ploy
• pyramid scheme
• dodge
• rip-off
• forgery
• phoney
• sham
• jig
• gouging
• fake
• overcharging
• phony
• gimmick
• wile
• soaking
• sleight
• humbug
• three-card monte
• thimblerig

swindle

2 of 2

verb

ˈswin-dᵊl 

as in to cheat

to rob by the use of trickery or threats

hundreds of people were swindled out of their savings, and all they had to show for it were fake land deeds

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cheat
• squeeze
• sting
• pluck
• hustle
• defraud
• deceive
• bilk
• screw
• stick
• beat
• victimize
• con
• trick
• flimflam
• mulct
• sucker
• do
• fleece
• bleed
• exploit
• shortchange
• nobble
• shake down
• cozen
• chouse
• fiddle
• skin
• euchre
• diddle
• gaff
• chisel
• rook
• ream
• stiff
• rip off
• short
• fool
• skunk
• betray
• extort
• hose
• take for a ride
• take to the cleaners
• thimblerig
• do in
• wrench
• gouge
• sell a bill of goods to
• dupe
• overcharge
• clip
• wring
• nick
• double-cross
• wrest
• gull
• soak
• milk
• bamboozle
• rope (in)
• bitch
• fast-talk

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

Recent Examples of swindle

Noun

Justin Ansel Butler falsified documents to make the Duck Donuts franchises in Woodbury and the Mall of America look profitable, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday in Washington County District Court charging him with felony theft by swindle. —Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 20 Jan. 2025

The swindles also involved fake investments, phony sweepstakes, and tech support scams in which a person was contacted and told there was something wrong with their computer, which could be corrected for a fee. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 18 Jan. 2025

Verb

Listen to this article An FBI Boston warning about a rise in quitclaim deed fraud closely resembles a civil case involving a Boston Water and Sewer Commission HR director who is alleged to have worked with relatives to swindle her elderly uncle out of his home. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2025

Romance scams swindled the most out of Pennsylvanians' pockets, even though only 1,679 reports were made. —Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025