conned 1 of 3

verb (1)

past tense of con
1
as in learned
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 scanned
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

conned

2 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of con
1
as in cheated
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 tricked
to cause to believe what is untrue tried to con me into thinking that he had actually won the lottery

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

conned

3 of 3

verb (3)

past tense of conn
as in steered
to operate or control the course of there was white-knuckle tension as the captain conned the gunboat through the mine-infested harbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 conned
Verb
Stapley’s own fascination with the art of the con began after her mother was conned out of her life savings. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 However, Frank conned her out of a creator credit, leaving himself with sole writing credit. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026 When Stapley was 10, her mother lost her life’s savings after being conned by a couple posing as investors. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026 The centerpiece of his recent column is a list of quarterly rate increases after reform passed, presented as proof consumers were conned. — David Wilson, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026 One of Sharma's gangster associates tells Keefe that once Sharma realized he'd been conned, there was no way Zac was leaving the apartment alive. — Frank Langfitt, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026 Nationwide, scammers in 2024 conned Americans for $119 billion, an amount similar in size to the economy of New Hampshire, according to the report. — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026 Women who could be trampled by men, conned, deceived. — Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026 What makes this case different is that key backers of the measure got conned, too. — Daniel Borenstein, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conned
  1. learned
  2. scanned
  3. cheated
  4. tricked
  5. steered
  6. studied
  7. examined
  8. hustled
Verb
  • Lessons learned The research shows how transformative infrastructure investments can be, according to Edward Miguel, a development economist at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not part of the research team.
    — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities learned Kreuzer had previously been arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, domestic violence and leading law enforcement officers on a vehicle pursuit.
    — Daniel Hunt August 29, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of learned
Verb
  • The Fayetteville, North Carolina, superstar scanned the T-Mobile Center, pointing out a few contenders.
    — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Receipts and job sheets can be scanned to import billing information, reducing manual data entry.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of scanned
Verb
  • The rest of us just got the surface, but who could feel cheated?
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • 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, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheated
Verb
  • In the past couple of years, deepfakes have already tricked large firms like Arup into wiring $25 million to scammers.
    — Allyson Kapin, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In September 2025, a judge dismissed the lawsuit, noting that consumers could still enjoy the treats even if they felt tricked by the wrappers.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tricked
Verb
  • Ever mindful of the job at hand, Parton gently steered us back to the awards show, though not before turning to Brooks with a little smile.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Three years ago, 79% of Gen Z respondents told Jobber’s Blue Collar Report that their parents had steered them toward four-year college, and only 5% considered vocational school an option.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of steered
Verb
  • This is true for ALE too, which academic researchers have studied extensively in an attempt to improve processes or address its low throughput.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers have studied 72 young, sun-like stars.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of studied
Verb
  • Voter records will next be examined in DuPage County, then Kendall and Will counties.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Safety is tops in Tampa, with the 19th-lowest property crime rate among cities examined by WalletHub.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of examined
Verb
  • Two of the men quickly hopped up and hustled down the sidewalk, while the third sat for a second before replacing the manhole cover, and walked away, the video shows.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Hate crime charges have been filed against a man who disrupted Shabbat services in Manhattan's Central Synagogue and struck two people while being hustled outside Friday night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of hustled

Browse Nearby Words

connect (with)
conned
conning
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Cite this Entry

“Conned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conned. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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