Synonym Chooser

How does the verb cozen contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cozen are cheat, defraud, and swindle. While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose.

always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

Where would cheat be a reasonable alternative to cozen?

The words cheat and cozen can be used in similar contexts, but cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

When would defraud be a good substitute for cozen?

In some situations, the words defraud and cozen are roughly equivalent. 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

When can swindle be used instead of cozen?

While in some cases nearly identical to cozen, 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 cozen The point, however, is not to entertain the driver/employee but to cozen the owner. Dan Neil, WSJ, 19 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cozen
Verb
  • Jurors found Peters guilty in August for using someone else’s security badge to give an expert affiliated with My Pillow chief executive Mike Lindell access to the Mesa County election system and deceiving other officials about that person’s identity.
    Colleen Slevin, Twin Cities, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Stribling tried to deceive officers by saying Bailei was shot in a robbery, The Detroit News reported.
    Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Niemann, a grandmaster, beat Carlsen in an upset in a 2022 match, leading Carlsen to withdraw from the tournament and setting off wild speculation about whether Niemann could have cheated, though no such allegations were ever proven.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Neither team cheats for offense, every inch of ice is hard-earned.
    Pierre LeBrun, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That was probably a terrible decision, in fairness, but Meazza responded by faking a shot to fool a defender, then teed up Piola to score.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • While the towering shoes may seem intimidating, don’t let their large, often chunky heels fool you: PLatform shoes are among the most comfortable heels in any wardrobe.
    Nina Derwin, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The White Sox used it last winter to make a significant addition, plucking right-hander Shane Smith from Milwaukee.
    Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • This seaside haven looks like it was plucked from a mid-century souvenir postcard, but a recent $10-million overhaul by Maine hotelier Tim Harrington has ushered the 89-year-old resort into the modern era.
    Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Deceptive tactics trick users into providing biometric data unknowingly.
    Mohamed Lazzouni, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The light from screens can trick your brain into staying awake.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Now Warning To All iPhone Users Google Pixel’s Unbeatable Upgrade—Bad News For Samsung Being stuck at No. 2 behind Lamar likely stings just a little more than usual for Drake.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • But China is also seeking to build tighter relationships in Asia with nations stung by Trump’s tariffs.
    Josh Boak, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • For years, researchers have been experimenting with quantization techniques that squeeze their neural network weights into smaller memory envelopes.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Mike Pavlik, whose family lived across the alley behind ours and who was the leadoff batter on our softball team, squeezed my arm.
    David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The girl called the police station one night and wound up talking to Liv, who kept her on the phone while the team hustled to try to figure out where she was being held.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 17 Apr. 2025
  • As tens of millions of Americans hustle to pay their taxes, Trump has put the entire global economy into chaos.
    Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cozen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cozen. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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