swindles 1 of 2

noun

plural of swindle
as in scams
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value identity theft has become one of the most frequent and feared swindles of our time

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swindles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of swindle
as in cheats
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 swindles
Noun
In a case pending in federal court in Oakland, California, three Facebook users allege that the company profits from online swindles at the expense of users. — David Ingram, NBC news, 12 May 2026 Frauds, swindles, cons, scams, and deceptions — collectively known as hoaxes. — Scott Neuman, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025 These swindles are not only highly organized but also systematized. — Cezary Podkul, ProPublica, 19 Sep. 2022
Verb
This period comedy set in England in the 1930s stars Ben Radcliffe as a thief who swindles his way into a hall boy position at posh Fackham Hall, only to hook up with the daughter of the house and finagle his way into a position of privilege. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026 He gets chased by cops, swindles the wrong ping-pong goobers and becomes embroiled in a canine extortion scheme. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swindles
  1. scams
  2. cheats
  3. frauds
  4. hustles
  5. plucks
  6. squeezes
  7. stings
  8. defrauds
Noun
  • As scams become more sophisticated and pervasive, leaders should rethink how their organizations identify, measure and respond to cybercrime as an enterprise-wide business risk.
    — Mark Beare, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • This includes any number of disputes between parties, but also issues such as evictions, scams targeting senior citizens, and domestic-violence protective orders.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026
Definition of scams
Verb
  • Any forward who cheats for defence, as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has for much of his career, will play an elevated role on a Babcock team.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • Though Lesnar rarely cheats to win, Femi isn’t going to lose clean.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Definition of cheats
Noun
  • Philly may be shedding its second-fiddle status, but it remains entirely repulsed by frauds and underachievers.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • Focus Your Defenses Where The Risk Is Highest​ Many of today's biggest frauds begin with an email, an invoice or a payment request that looks completely legitimate.
    — Mark Beare, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of frauds
Verb
  • Jessica Gonzalez hustles behind her booth at the recent Renegade Craft Fair, frantically ringing up sales, answering questions and packaging her beeswax candles.
    — Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Despite concerns that chip stocks could be topping out as the industry hustles to boost supply, Wall Street thinks Micron still has plenty of room to run.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 22 June 2026
Definition of hustles
Verb
  • His torso and thighs grow eye-poppingly muscular beneath their skimpy fur-and-leather togs—a development that does not go unnoticed by a warrior named Red Hair, who plucks the young hunk from his post and tosses him into the prime time of the gladiator pit.
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • But the emotional gravity of this offering's deeply personal, melancholic lyrical content plucks an undeniably profound chord that uniquely separates it from the rest of his work.
    — Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Definition of plucks
Verb
  • That not only squeezes consumers' budgets, but also hits businesses hard, especially those which are heavily dependent on fuel.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • That not only squeezes consumers’ budgets, but also hits businesses hard, especially those that are heavily dependent on fuel.
    — Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of squeezes
Verb
  • The female locates and stings a large insect such as a cicada or katydid and then brings it back to the burrow.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • That still stings, even if Wicky wasn’t one of the three to attempt a penalty.
    — Sam McDowell July 9, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
Definition of stings
Verb
  • On the flip side, its tunnel-vision focus on the Murdaughs means that the non-Murdaugh, non-murder victims left in their wake, like Mallory and her family or the clients Alex defrauds at work, are reduced to symbols.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Definition of defrauds

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swindles
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Cite this Entry

“Swindles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swindles. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of swindles for Spanish Speakers

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