as in cheated
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
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Recent Examples of swindled
The seizures were the result of an investigation launched after Andress reported to Swiss authorities that she had been swindled out of assets by financial advisers.
—
ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
But according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Santa Barbara, Ireland and her husband have been swindled out of their home equity and their life insurance policies, forced to sell their home, and left without substantial savings.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
Robin Williams was swindled a few times.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2026
Many indigenous groups on this continent whom settlers swindled, attacked, and displaced have a long history of using sweat lodges both for cleaning the body and in ritual.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, Curbed, 25 Feb. 2026
This was partly out of deference to a president who thinks not of enemies but only of potential counterparties to be bargained with, bullied, swindled, or accommodated.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
But the attempt at humor didn’t satisfy some angry fans who believe Mets President David Stearns swindled Getz in a trade that essentially was a salary dump.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
Some alleged Sunlight simply stopped working while the job was only partway completed; the rest said they were swindled out of downpayments and ended up with nothing.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2026
The investors' attorneys said about $46 million of the money the pair swindled from their investors went to pay for expensive cars.
—Steffanie Dupree, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
But according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Santa Barbara, Ireland and her husband have been swindled out of their home equity and their life insurance policies, forced to sell their home, and left without substantial savings.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
Robin Williams was swindled a few times.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2026
Many indigenous groups on this continent whom settlers swindled, attacked, and displaced have a long history of using sweat lodges both for cleaning the body and in ritual.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, Curbed, 25 Feb. 2026
This was partly out of deference to a president who thinks not of enemies but only of potential counterparties to be bargained with, bullied, swindled, or accommodated.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
But the attempt at humor didn’t satisfy some angry fans who believe Mets President David Stearns swindled Getz in a trade that essentially was a salary dump.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
Some alleged Sunlight simply stopped working while the job was only partway completed; the rest said they were swindled out of downpayments and ended up with nothing.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2026
The investors' attorneys said about $46 million of the money the pair swindled from their investors went to pay for expensive cars.
—Steffanie Dupree, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swindled
Verb
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Schiller is a man who cheated death and whose harrowing ordeal is dramatized by actor Tony Shalhoub in a recent movie.—
Troy Roberts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The chat room was on fire, because Magnus Carlsen had lost to the kid—Hans Niemann—and then implied that Hans had cheated.—
Ben Mezrich,
Vanity Fair,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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During an interview with The Star on Friday, waiters hustled through the space with plates.—
Jenna Thompson
April 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The crowd applauded when Rahm took the bag from Garcia and started carrying it himself as caddie Adam Hayes hustled to catch up to the players.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Beaufort, North Carolina This fishing village with century-old homes, idyllic marinas, and pristine beaches could be plucked from a vintage postcard.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
-
With its cast of characters essentially plucked from Fugard’s early life in Port Elizabeth, the play introduces Hally (a stand-in for Fugard) at a crossroads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Many hospital systems in Connecticut have stopped suing their patients over unpaid bills, stung by criticism about the harm caused by aggressive collection tactics.—
Noam N. Levey,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
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People have reported severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, after being stung by the ant.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sudhir Srivastava, vice president of the Noida Entrepreneurs Association, said manufacturers were being squeezed from multiple directions.—
Mayu Saini,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Bottom line Private credit’s share of overall financing in the US economy has grown, and when that growth slows or stops, small businesses with few other options get squeezed.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Semi-screwed There’s a world in which Colby was the most screwed over by the rock draw — because Dee and Emily are friends who already played together, and both were aligned with Cirie — but that world is one in which he was not injured and likely limping out of the game anyway.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Apr. 2026
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A lot of times, much of a Hollywood memoir is someone saying this person screwed me over, this bad thing happened, and so on.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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California Department of Insurance Investigators said the suspects submitted insurance claims in 2024 that defrauded companies of $141,839.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Mejia released a report April 2 that found a contractor had defrauded the city out of nearly $500,000 after receiving payment but failing to deliver the appropriate goods.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His family said Kearns was standing on solid ground before he was sucked into the drain and got stuck under five feet of floodwaters.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Its first-stage booster made its 18th flight and stuck the landing without issue on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swindled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swindled. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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