con 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈkän How to pronounce con (audio)
Definition of connext
as in prisoner
a person convicted as a criminal and serving a prison sentence a program to help ex-cons find employment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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con

2 of 4

noun (2)

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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con

3 of 4

verb (1)

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

con

4 of 4

verb (2)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 con
Noun
Transfer Turmoil will address the pros and cons of a potential one-time transfer rule. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026 To kick off the con, Percy Jackson fans inside Hall H were treated to the first few minutes of footage from Season 3. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 23 July 2026
Verb
There was at least one other incident in which Bustillo is accused of conning a player out of $4,000. — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026 And mothers in America, quite frankly, have been getting conned since the ink dried on the Constitution. — NBC news, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for con
Recent Examples of Synonyms for con
  1. prisoner
  2. scam
  3. study
  4. scan
  5. cheat
  6. trick
  7. convict
  8. learn
Noun
  • In episode seven alone, Rhaenyra’s prisoner sees a gray mare and doors that open to her.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • She has not been seen publicly since then, and the last official photo of her released was in April, when she was moved from prison to house arrest and her sentence was reduced as part of a prisoner amnesty for a Buddhist holiday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of prisoner
Noun
  • During the alleged scam, the business reported losing $50,000.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike phishing scams or malware-laden emails that cast wide nets and hope to lure in random victims, zero-click attacks are highly targeted.
    — Justyn Newman, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of scam
Verb
  • The governor also signed a bill into law Friday requiring the Illinois Department of Insurance to study how healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies participate in the 340B program.
    — Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • An upcoming total solar eclipse on Wednesday will provide scientists with another opportunity to study this mystery.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of study
Verb
  • That model now carries about 90% of the workload in Microsoft’s vulnerability-scanning system.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Inside, tiny screws whizzed along a production line as high-resolution cameras scanned them for microscopic problems.
    — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of scan
Verb
  • While just around 3,000 of the 150,000 or so tests have been invalidated, all students – including those who, like Velázquez, are not suspected of cheating – have been left in limbo pending the result of UNAM’s investigation into the matter.
    — Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • But after he was accused of cheating, the school suspended him for a year and gave him an F in the course Sourcing and Managing Funds.
    — Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
Definition of cheat
Verb
  • Lord Ormund’s Gambit Lord Ormund has many, many tricks up his green sleeves.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, there has been a slew of viral videos on TikTok and other social media platforms in which users allegedly show how to trick the monitoring systems for the exam.
    — Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of trick
Noun
  • The show, which follows an ex-convict who seeks revenge on the lawyer who represented him, stars Javier Bardem, Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson, and is produced by Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.
    — Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 30 July 2026
  • Sochor is scheduled to be the second Broward convict executed this year.
    — Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 13 July 2026
Definition of convict
Verb
  • Homeschool enrichment programs allow homeschooled students to participate in public school activities and learning part-time.
    — Olivia Young, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In May, Sydney learned her cancer had spread and was present in her peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdomen and pelvis, per the Cleveland Clinic.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of learn

Phrases Containing con

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Comstockery
con
concatenate
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Cite this Entry

“Con.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/con. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of con for Spanish Speakers

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