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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Con.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/con. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.
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