: something (such as a ruse) used deceptively to gain another's confidence
He knew too much about con to fall for that one …—
Herbert Gold
Herbert Gold
also
: a confidence game : swindle
conned; conning
1
: swindle
accused of conning retirees out of their savings
2
: manipulate sense 2b
He conned his way into the job.
plural cons
informal
: convention sense 2b
a comic book con
Now, such gatherings as the Further Confusion convention in San Jose, California, and Anthrocon in Philadelphia, attract more than 1,000 furry hobbyists apiece. (The Midwest FurFest is a smaller "con," with about 400 attending.)—George Gurley
George Gurley1
: an argument or evidence in opposition
2
: the negative position or one holding it
an appraisal of the pros and cons
: on the negative side : in opposition
so much has been written pro and con
: confidence
a con artist
a con game
conned; conning
1
: to commit to memory
conned the poem
2
: to study or examine closely
Clare regarded her attentively, conned the characters of her face as if they had been hieroglyphics.—Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy
slang
: a destructive disease of the lungs
especially
: tuberculosis
1
consolidated
2
[Latin conjunx]
consort
3
consul
4
continued
Synonyms
Noun (1)
Verb (1)
- beat
- bilk
- bleed
- cheat
- chisel
- chouse
- cozen
- defraud
- diddle
- do
- do in
- euchre
- fiddle
- fleece
- flimflam
- gaff
- hose [slang]
- hustle
- mulct
- nobble [British slang]
- pluck
- ream
- rip off
- rook
- screw
- shake down
- short
- shortchange
- skin
- skunk
- squeeze
- stick
- stiff
- sting
- sucker
- swindle
- thimblerig
- victimize
Noun (2)
Noun (5)
Examples of con in a Sentence
Noun (1)
a program to help ex-cons find employment
Verb (1)
a fly-by-night operator who had conned hundreds of would-be homeowners out of their hard-earned money
tried to con me into thinking that he had actually won the lottery
Noun (2)
the explanation was so plausible that I never suspected it was all a con to make off with my car
Noun (5)
usually candidates con their entire campaign speech, right down to the jokes they supposedly ad-lib
seemed to be conning his face for any sign of uncertainty
Recent Examples on the WebKatie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2024
Those who prosecutors say Valdez conned into providing the verification codes had their accounts compromised and personal images stolen, according to the court filing.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024
Although Pathological: The Lies of Joran van der Sloot examines a murder’s successful efforts to con the media, Cassel says his documentary doesn’t sympathize with him, and instead exposes van der Sloot’s corrupt behavior, while paying tribute to the victim’s families.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
By Saturday afternoon, the experience had been canceled and local police confirmed to NBC News that they were called to the scene after attendees who felt conned began demanding refunds.
—Angela Yang, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024
As clutches laid by those snakes failed to contain any crimson hatchlings, vexed breeders agreed that they’d been conned.
—Rebecca Giggs, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
Darwall’s report convincingly demonstrates how Britain was conned into net zero by deceptive and illusory promises of cheap renewable power.
—Andrew Puzder, National Review, 5 Feb. 2024
The fact that Norma’s fallen into a coma, and can’t be charmed (or conned) by Maxine any further, doesn’t help either.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2024
Related Articles Redwood City widow conned out of nearly $2 million, bank accused of helping scammers
The first 10 years of legal marijuana in Colorado were a wild ride.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
TIME, 10 May 2024
However, the prescription medication required to treat fungal infections is expensive and can have side effects, so be sure to discuss the pros and cons of treatment with your specialist.
—Heather L. Brannon, Md, Verywell Health, 9 May 2024
This con, even if not always lucrative, allowed Tahilramani to showcase his ability to impersonate, persuade and act.
—Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
Here are the pros and cons Why a high-yield savings account may be better than a CD this spring
3 critical investing mistakes to avoid right now
Kate Gibson
Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 6 May 2024
The pair also talked about formative musical influences such as Devo, Nirvana and Beck, touring with Radiohead, the pros and cons of licensing songs for commercials, persevering in the music business and Carney’s top five favorite bands who should have been bigger.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 5 May 2024
Significantly, the report wasn’t written to weigh the pros and cons of autonomous battlefield technologies; instead, the group assumed that such systems will inevitably be deployed.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Apr. 2024
And the country is at the center of a cyber-scam industry that steals billions of dollars from unsuspecting people and kidnaps others to forcibly work the cons.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Here are the pros and cons of their three options regarding targets for Brock Purdy in 2024 and beyond:
KEEPING ALL THREE
Pro: Imagine the things Shanahan could do with shifts and motions adding Pearsall to the mix.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
Byrachyl Jones, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2023
The thing to eat is at Vitek's and called the Gut Pack: Barbecue beans, cheese and con chips with sausage and peppers.
—Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 2 July 2023
But when the man Maizy brings back is more con than corn, Lulu and the entire town must learn that sometimes help comes from unlikely corny places.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2023
While travelling on a cruise ship, Hopsie falls for a con woman named Jean Harrington (Barbara Stanwyck).
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2023
Torn between her feelings for Paxton and Ben, Devi creates a pro-con list with Fab and Eleanor.
—Leah Campano, Seventeen, 11 Aug. 2022
And while the old Miranda would have faced her mid-life crisis by whipping a legal pad out of her normcore briefcase and making a pro-con list, this Miranda’s response is a lot more Carrie.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2022
Indeed, Harmon's aim for her story was not to wade through the pro/con GMO arguments, but to open a new window onto a complicated subject.
—Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2013
Verb
Marianne Smyth, an American woman who conned a reality producer and allegedly several other figures in and around Hollywood between 2013 and 2017, has been arrested in Maine as Northern Ireland seeks to extradite her to face charges.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2024
Those who prosecutors say Valdez conned into providing the verification codes had their accounts compromised and personal images stolen, according to the court filing.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024
Although Pathological: The Lies of Joran van der Sloot examines a murder’s successful efforts to con the media, Cassel says his documentary doesn’t sympathize with him, and instead exposes van der Sloot’s corrupt behavior, while paying tribute to the victim’s families.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
By Saturday afternoon, the experience had been canceled and local police confirmed to NBC News that they were called to the scene after attendees who felt conned began demanding refunds.
—Angela Yang, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024
As clutches laid by those snakes failed to contain any crimson hatchlings, vexed breeders agreed that they’d been conned.
—Rebecca Giggs, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
Darwall’s report convincingly demonstrates how Britain was conned into net zero by deceptive and illusory promises of cheap renewable power.
—Andrew Puzder, National Review, 5 Feb. 2024
The fact that Norma’s fallen into a coma, and can’t be charmed (or conned) by Maxine any further, doesn’t help either.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2024
Related Articles Redwood City widow conned out of nearly $2 million, bank accused of helping scammers
The first 10 years of legal marijuana in Colorado were a wild ride.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
Noun
Cannabis advocates are urging health authorities to weigh the pros and cons of cannabis in comparison to alcohol and cigarettes and use science and facts to determine what should be drugs.
—TIME, 10 May 2024
However, the prescription medication required to treat fungal infections is expensive and can have side effects, so be sure to discuss the pros and cons of treatment with your specialist.
—Heather L. Brannon, Md, Verywell Health, 9 May 2024
This con, even if not always lucrative, allowed Tahilramani to showcase his ability to impersonate, persuade and act.
—Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
Here are the pros and cons Why a high-yield savings account may be better than a CD this spring
3 critical investing mistakes to avoid right now
Kate Gibson
Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 6 May 2024
The pair also talked about formative musical influences such as Devo, Nirvana and Beck, touring with Radiohead, the pros and cons of licensing songs for commercials, persevering in the music business and Carney’s top five favorite bands who should have been bigger.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 5 May 2024
Significantly, the report wasn’t written to weigh the pros and cons of autonomous battlefield technologies; instead, the group assumed that such systems will inevitably be deployed.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Apr. 2024
And the country is at the center of a cyber-scam industry that steals billions of dollars from unsuspecting people and kidnaps others to forcibly work the cons.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Here are the pros and cons of their three options regarding targets for Brock Purdy in 2024 and beyond:
KEEPING ALL THREE
Pro: Imagine the things Shanahan could do with shifts and motions adding Pearsall to the mix.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
Adjective
There’s Benjamin Franklin’s three-century-old pro/con model, but there are also more advanced ways to answer important questions, Kozyrkov said.
—Byrachyl Jones, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2023
The thing to eat is at Vitek's and called the Gut Pack: Barbecue beans, cheese and con chips with sausage and peppers.
—Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 2 July 2023
But when the man Maizy brings back is more con than corn, Lulu and the entire town must learn that sometimes help comes from unlikely corny places.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2023
While travelling on a cruise ship, Hopsie falls for a con woman named Jean Harrington (Barbara Stanwyck).
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2023
Torn between her feelings for Paxton and Ben, Devi creates a pro-con list with Fab and Eleanor.
—Leah Campano, Seventeen, 11 Aug. 2022
And while the old Miranda would have faced her mid-life crisis by whipping a legal pad out of her normcore briefcase and making a pro-con list, this Miranda’s response is a lot more Carrie.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2022
Indeed, Harmon's aim for her story was not to wade through the pro/con GMO arguments, but to open a new window onto a complicated subject.
—Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2013
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'con.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near con
Cite this Entry
“Con.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/con. Accessed 14 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
con
2 of 9 verb
conned; conning
: to deceive or trick (someone) : to persuade (someone) by telling lies
conning retirees out of their money
con
3 of 9 adjective
: confidence entry 2
a con game
a con artist
con
4 of 9 noun
: convict
con
6 of 9 adverb
: on the negative side : in opposition
argue pro and con
con
7 of 9 noun
: an opposing argument, person, or position
the pros and cons of the question
con
8 of 9 verb1
: memorize
2
: to study carefully
con-
9 of 9
see com-
Etymology
Adverb
Middle English con "on the negative side, against"; a shortened form of contra "against, contrary"
Verb
Middle English connen "to know, learn," derived from can (auxiliary verb) "to know, know how to"
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