as in scam
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
the explanation was so plausible that I never suspected it was all a con to make off with my car
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to study
to commit to memory
usually candidates con their entire campaign speech, right down to the jokes they supposedly ad-lib
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to scan
to look over closely (as for judging quality or condition)
seemed to be conning his face for any sign of uncertainty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
a fly-by-night operator who had conned hundreds of would-be homeowners out of their hard-earned money
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue
tried to con me into thinking that he had actually won the lottery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of con
Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
Earlier this year its school board was mixed on doing so and discussed the pros and cons of the program during a board meeting in January.
—Samuel O’Neal 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2026
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
One of Sharma's gangster associates tells Keefe that once Sharma realized he'd been conned, there was no way Zac was leaving the apartment alive.
—Frank Langfitt, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for con
Noun
The workgroup evaluating the use of standardized tests will look into the pros and cons of incorporating SAT, ACT or 11th grade Smarter Balanced Assessment scores in the admissions process.
—Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
Earlier this year its school board was mixed on doing so and discussed the pros and cons of the program during a board meeting in January.
—Samuel O’Neal 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2026
Verb
How to get out of an awkward situation in order to avoid booking that plane ticket back to New York, where nothing much awaits her, after conning her way into a stranger’s home?
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
One of Sharma's gangster associates tells Keefe that once Sharma realized he'd been conned, there was no way Zac was leaving the apartment alive.
—Frank Langfitt, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for con
Recent Examples of Synonyms for con
Noun
-
The Supreme Court last denied an Alabama prisoner’s request to halt his nitrogen execution in October.—
Abigail Brooks,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
-
Six volunteers certified for no less than three years apiece through Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, will be recruited to ensure the Idaho Department of Correction is ready to comply with a state law that prioritizes shooting prisoners to death over lethal injection starting July 1.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
In all, Google has tracked 9,000 fake websites and 1 million URLs connected to the scam network.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
-
By watching patterns in suspicious website names and traffic, researchers can spot fake domains, phishing pages and larger scam networks.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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The range of work presented a challenge for guest juror Jade Powers, curator of contemporary art at the Birmingham Museum of Art, who spent an afternoon studying the exhibition before selecting the recipient of the Florida Prize’s $20,000 award.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
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The team studies how to monitor and predict the blooms, which cause environmental and economic harm.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Customers who find the special gold pineapple rock can scan a QR code attached to it to claim the free-macarons-for-a-year prize.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
-
Mail-in ballots take longer to process than in-person ballots, because officials must scan bar codes, remove envelopes and check signatures against those on file.—
Leila Fadel,
NPR,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Jay Cooke, who had once been lionized for his role in financing the Union victory, was attacked in the press and accused of cheating ordinary Americans out of their savings.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
The reunion comes 15 years after the couple divorced amid rumors of a cheating scandal.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Posts from other Knicks fans say the user tried tricking them as well.—
Tim McNicholas,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
These websites closely resemble legitimate ticketing and checkout platforms and can allow scammers to steal log-in credentials, personal information and credit card numbers and trick you into sending in payments.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Noun
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In ten episodes of this comedy series, viewers will learn how to make a vibrator out of a toothbrush and a crossbow out of a coat hanger alongside young first-time convict David Broulík.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
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The 10-episode series sees Javier Bardem stepping into the role of convict Max Cady, who is released from prison after 17 years and out for revenge on the happily married attorneys (Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson) who put him behind bars.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Walk through a gallery of bronze busts immortalizing the game's greatest players and learn about the evolution of the game from the days of leather helmets to modern gear.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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In fact, the views of the five England fans who spoke to The Athletic are dominated by clear-eyed realism and learned pessimism.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Con.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/con. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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