EN

Synonyms for con

39 synonyms
7 antonyms
4 meanings

verb
noun

Most common

swindle rook trick deceive study memorize

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Swindle

swindle, rook, trick, deceive, get, defraud, catch, diddle, victimize, victimise UK, short-change, bunco, mulct, hornswoggle slang, nobble slang

2. Memorize

study, memorize, memorise UK, learn, commit to memory

Other

cross out, nay, butty, abuse dated

Noun

1. Confidence trick

confidence artist, flim-flam, confidence trick, confidence game, hustle, sting

2. Convict

convict, yard bird, inmate

Other

scam, mislead, deceit, hocus-pocus, disadvantage, gold brick

Antonyms

pro, advantage, benefit

All antonyms of con →

Definitions

v. 1
To study or examine carefully, especially in order to gain knowledge of; to learn, or learn by heart.
v. 2
To trick, lie or defraud, usually for personal gain.
n. 1
A disadvantage of something, especially when contrasted with its advantages (pros).
n. 2
A convicted criminal, a convict.

Related words

Word family: conner
Phrases: con artist con game con-man nem con con crud chili con carne café con leche take the con
Other spellings: conde conn cun

Forms

Plural: cons → flim-flams, hustles, stings, convicts…
Past participle: conned
e.g. conned → swindled, rooked, tricked, deceived…

Choose the right word

Con, Verto, Turn, Change or Converted?

con, with, and verto, turn) is to primarily turn about, and signifies to change in form, character, use, etc., through a wide range of relations; iron is converted into steel, joy into grief, a sinner into a saint.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

swindle Be careful. He's not an easy one to swindle.
butty Tom made a mouth-watering cheese butty for Mary.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
con		falling
swindle		steady
bunco		steady
mulct		falling

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: get¹, nay¹
4 letters: scam¹, rook¹
5 letters: study², learn¹, catch¹, abuse², trick¹, sting¹, butty, bunco, mulct¹
6 letters: hustle², inmate², deceit², diddle², nobble
7 letters: convict², deceive², mislead², defraud², swindle²
8 letters: memorize³, memorise
9 letters: victimize³, victimise
11 letters: hornswoggle
12 letters: disadvantage⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (study² = 2 syllables).