COZEN Synonyms: 110 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

cozen

verb

ˈkə-zən

Definition of cozen

as in to deceive

to cause to believe what is untrue cozened several elderly ladies into believing that he was intending marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to cheat

to rob by the use of trickery or threats cozened scores of people by persuading them to hand over funds that he would "invest"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

The evidence does not establish that Claude deliberately set out to deceive investigators.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Until Holmes, the characters in Oppenheim’s documentaries had been relative unknowns — people with far less incentive to deceive him.

— Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of deceive

Verb

For example, if a model figures out a way to cheat to win a game, but the human running the training doesn’t spot the cheating, then the model will learn to cheat.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
The move, orchestrated by Everett to satisfy the demands of the company’s top-dollar backers, cheats Michael out of his stock options and equity in the company.

— Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of cheat

Verb

As the party winded down, guests plucked final bites off silver platters and marveled at how tall Skarsgård truly is in person—his nearly six-foot-five frame barely fit under the bar’s low ceilings.

— Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
Starring alongside Amell is a slew of objectively hot influencers and models plucked straight off the TikTok FYP, including Noah Beck, Olivia Dunne, and Brooks Nader.

— Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of pluck

Verb

Those conducting the online scams are sometimes willing con artists, and other times trafficked foreign nationals -- many Chinese -- tricked themselves into work and held in prison-like compounds.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
But a few times in recent years, Hollins, a veterinarian, tricked Jonathan and slid a cotton swab into the giant tortoise’s mouth to get a saliva sample.

— Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of trick

Verb

All of a sudden, Bass was a staggering champion lunging at a revived Raman, who swung and stung and ducked the way only a hungry up-and-comer can.

— Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Clement famously tried to get the Supreme Court to overturn President Obama's signature health care law, a loss that still stings.

— Carrie Johnson, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of sting

Verb

Meta squeezes two independent light-guiding cores into a single standard glass strand to double its bandwidth.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
Fuel expenses are squeezing daily household budgets and tightening cash flow toward the end of the month, with reports indicating a growing number of French employees are requesting payroll advances to manage month end expenses.

— , CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of squeeze

Verb

The last thing the Bears need is for Williams to hustle back only to reinjure himself and miss more time.

— Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
That urgency has marked Holden’s prolific output—especially the thrilling first installment of his Supreme Magnetic series in 2025 and 2022’s Joe Frog—as the Harlem rapper uses his street-hustling past to paint an autobiographical portrait.

— Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of hustle

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coyotes

cozen

cozenage

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“Cozen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cozen. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of cozen

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