swindle 1 of 2

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
Speaking of bandits, Leland Stanford famously jumpstarted his profits from miners into even greater swindles as a railroad baron, California Governor, and US Senator. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 23 Apr. 2025 Then, speaking of swindles, Jeffrey Toobin explains why no one can stop Trump from handing out pardons. Air Mail, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
Aleksei is just using her to try to swindle her out of $10,000. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2025 In high school, Combs was swindling his classmates out of their spare change, in addition to creating other hustles for himself. Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for swindle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swindle
Noun
  • Thousands of Americans fall prey to medical identity theft scams each year, according to Security.org, with a large number of victims belonging to older age groups.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • Dating apps, including Tinder, are fertile ground for scams, according to various consumer protection sources including the FBI and Federal Trade Commission.
    Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • President Donald Trump's rapid pullback of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has cost Americans at least $18 billion in higher fees and lost compensation for consumers allegedly cheated by major companies, according to an analysis released Tuesday by two organizations.
    Douglas Gillison, USA Today, 25 June 2025
  • But they didn’t get cheated this spring, not with three rousing blasts from the past: Against the Pistons, against the Celtics, against the Pacers.
    Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Paul Blackburn, with plenty of starting experience for Oakland, could squeeze into the picture too – especially if the Mets decide to try a six-man rotation that would save wear and tear on each man.
    Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • When pancake is ready to flip, squeeze the cinnamon mixture into a swirl shape on top of the pancake batter, pressing the tip of the bag slightly into the batter.
    Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • What to know: Free to enter; no lifeguards or facilities and the salty water can sting cuts or irritate sensitive skin.
    Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2025
  • According to the Entomology department at North Carolina State, Asian needle ants try to avoid contact with humans, but will sting when pressured.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Not long after that, Van was booked to face Kevin Borjas on a Dana White’s Contender Series Card, but the UFC plucked him from that event to face Zhalgas Zhumagulov in June 2024.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • Today, Horowitz’s startup, AMP, based in Louisville, Colo., has developed a technology that could move the needle—by using AI to pluck recyclables out of society’s vast tide of garbage far more quickly and efficiently.
    Chris Stokel-Walker, Fortune, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • There are few travel moments more deflating than racing through security, grabbing overpriced snacks, and hustling to your gate—only to find your flight has been canceled and the line to speak with an agent is already snaking around the concourse.
    Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2025
  • Before becoming a sports agent, the Cleveland-native hustled to make ends meet.
    Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Jane Street founder allegedly hoodwinked into funding arms deal Robert Granieri, a co-founder of Jane Street Group, was defrauded into a $7 million purchase of AK-47s, Stinger missiles, and grenades for a coup in South Sudan, according to prosecutors.
    Diane Brady, Fortune, 26 June 2025
  • The Borrower Defense rule has been in place since 1994 but was rewritten by the Biden administration in 2022 to make the process easier for borrowers who were defrauded by a college to have those loans forgiven before a default, Forbes reported.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • The person is not trying to deceive or control, but the behavior still affects others and requires self awareness and growth to correct.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2025
  • Where was this sense of urgency when the mullahs were attempting to deceive U.N. inspectors while sandbagging U.S. efforts to diplomatically scuttle the country’s nuclear efforts?
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 21 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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