cheat 1 of 2

1
2
3
as in to disappoint
to fall short in satisfying the expectation or hope of the daredevil survived his plunge over the falls with barely a scratch, having cheated death once again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

cheat

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb cheat contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cheat are cozen, defraud, and swindle. While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

When can cozen be used instead of cheat?

The words cozen and cheat are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 is defraud a more appropriate choice than cheat?

The meanings of defraud and cheat 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

Where would swindle be a reasonable alternative to cheat?

In some situations, the words swindle and cheat are roughly equivalent. However, swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence.

swindled of their savings by con artists

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 cheat
Verb
In June 2009, Kate filed for divorce following cheating allegations surrounding Jon. Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025 Passed over to his hapless son (Dacre Montgomery), our (anti-)hero wires a shotgun to his head and takes him hostage, claiming that the organization’s business maneuvers cheated him out of a substantial fortune. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
Travis Hunter’s fantasy football dual eligibility is a cheat code Travis Hunter could be a game-changer in IDP leagues across the various fantasy football game providers. Jake Ciely, New York Times, 29 July 2025 Shopping for cropped pants is the cheat code for finding full-length pants as a petite person, and this relaxed-fitting linen-cotton blend pair is a perfect example. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for cheat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cheat
Verb
  • Conversely, overloading new hires with information, leaving them without guidance or misrepresenting the job can quickly erode excitement and lead to early and expensive turnover.
    Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • In his appeal though, obtained by PEOPLE, Guobadia argued that their November 2022 prenup was void because Williams allegedly misrepresented herself during negotiations by not disclosing her plans to return to RHOA.
    Dave Quinn, People.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The accompanying image of Jîna lying unconscious in a hospital bed, with a swollen face, tubes coming out of her mouth, and dried blood on her ears, went viral.
    Fatemeh Jamalpour, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Compare the look of the Notification Center in iOS 26 and macOS 26—the iOS 26 bubbles really do have the appearance of thin sheets of lightly frosted glass, where the macOS bubbles just give you the vaguest impression of what's lying underneath them.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Star clusters Star clusters are some of the most rewarding objects to observe, and the smart telescope did not disappoint.
    Harry Bennett, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Horace is dying of cancer, and, disappointed with his dynasty, looks to install outsider Kimmie at the head of the family business.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • My sister looked up at me and ever so gently, with barely perceptible pressure, squeezed my hand.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • If real estate values turn soft in a region, the decline could squeeze a crucial revenue stream for cities, counties, regional agencies and school districts.
    George Avalos, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • These changes will also usher in a shift in the way U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) handles customs and tariff enforcement, with both the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) laser focused on duty dodgers.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 30 July 2025
  • Blue Jays Trade Rumors Reaching New Peak Read more Los angeles dodgers Sandy Alcántara Trade?
    Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 July 2025
Verb
  • Rather than provide food or temporary shelter for such workers in the colder months, municipalities would round them up and remove them, to save money and evade any responsibility to aid them.
    Time, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
  • In Milwaukee, Kellner said that around 33% of bus riders have evaded paying fares in 2025 but that the agency has identified a few cost-neutral strategies targeted at reducing fare evasion down to 30% by September 2026, the same rate of evasion busses saw in 2024.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • With dogs sleeping on average 12 to 14 hours a day, owners likely have stopped and admired their ability to snooze, especially as some canines twitch during a dream.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Children who sleep on their parents’ graves.
    Sara Stridsberg September 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Instead of hustling for one-day bookings, Patel engineered a system where one client often meant three to five events—maximizing return and loyalty.
    Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Farnaz Farjam, one of the show’s executive producers, told Deadline that the production hustled to find a way to capture all three elements.
    Peter White, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cheat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cheat. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on cheat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!