cheat 1 of 2

verb

ˈchēt How to pronounce cheat (audio)
Definition of cheatnext
1
as in to misrepresent
to use dishonest methods to achieve a goal students who cheat on tests end up never knowing anything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to lie
to be sexually unfaithful he suspects that his girlfriend is cheating on him

Synonyms & Similar Words
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
as in to squeeze
to rob by the use of trickery or threats a despicable confidence man who heartlessly cheated elderly people out of their savings

Synonyms & Similar Words

cheat

2 of 2

noun

as in dodger
a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value a cheat at cards

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Child safety advocates and some parents have welcomed age restrictions, while privacy groups say the rules can be cheated and that forcing users to supply identification raises privacy concerns. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 The Model 3 and Model Y adopted less elaborate press-and-pivot handles, helping give the cars their clean, wind-cheating profiles. — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
Sometimes, the fourth-grader asks Robo-Dad for Minecraft cheats. — Ella Chakarian, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2026 And then Bobby is just a cheat code for comedy writers. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cheat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cheat
  1. misrepresent
  2. lie
  3. disappoint
  4. squeeze
  5. dodger
  6. evade
  7. sleep
  8. hustle
Verb
  • Meta this week agreed to pay almost $17 billion in a landmark settlement with a coalition of state AGs that had sued the company for misrepresenting the extent of child mental health damage caused by Facebook and Instagram.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Bonta, in a statement, accused Paramount of leaking and misrepresenting information the two sides had discussed during a preliminary session Friday.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of misrepresent
Verb
  • The vast Ardabil Carpet (Maqsud Kashani, 1539–40), for instance, lies flat in an even vaster gallery, whereas a Qing dynasty chaopao, or formal court robe, hangs in a small, shallow chamber.
    — Katy Barkan, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Do not lie or lean on concrete floors and walls during thunderstorms, as lightning can travel through metal wires or bars found in concrete walls and flooring.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of lie
Verb
  • Warsh promises 'quieter Fed' Investors were disappointed last month when Warsh promised to restore price stability but refused to offer a detailed roadmap.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Autodesk – The maker of 3D design software slid 5% after its earnings projections disappointed Wall Street.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of disappoint
Verb
  • The Middle East war and the resulting shipping disruption through the Strait of Hormuz drove up global commodity costs, further squeezing Beijing's own appetite for commodity imports.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Independent designers, once a discovery engine, were being squeezed, while the biggest brands put more investment into their own stores, creating a dichotomy in experiences that Bron felt was palpable.
    — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Noun
  • The White House is now cracking down on these tariff dodgers.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Ukraine faces severe personnel shortages with around 200,000 military desertions and 2 million draft-dodgers, threatening its ability to sustain the war against Russia’s 2022 invasion.
    — Kirsten Grieshaber, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of dodger
Verb
  • He was booked into San Diego Central Jail on charges of felony evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for safety, obstructing or resisting a peace officer and driving under the influence of drugs, according to police.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Johnson has previously stated the Illinois constitution’s flat income tax rate evades the city’s wealth gap.
    — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of evade
Verb
  • The hospital basically told me to get over it and sleep it off but the pain was traumatic physically and mentally.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This is a common myth, borne of the fact that horses can sleep standing up.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of sleep
Verb
  • Jake Mangum singled to left but rookie Joshua Baez misplayed it and then didn’t hustle after it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Officers hustled the residents, including the children, out of the home, while Walsh and the second officer found the suspect hiding in a bathroom.
    — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of hustle

Browse Nearby Words

cheapskates
cheat
cheated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cheat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cheat. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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