Phrase guide

con game

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A swindle in which the mark, or victim, is defrauded after his or her trust has been won.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bunco, bunco game, bunko, bunko game, con, confidence trick, confidence game, gyp, hustle, sting, flimflam

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: swindle, cheat, rig

Narrower terms: sting operation

History

Etymology

Clipping of confidence game.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: bondefangeri — malicious breach of trust
  • Dutch: oplichting — malicious breach of trust
  • Dutch: zwendel — malicious breach of trust
  • Esperanto: friponaĵo — malicious breach of trust
  • Finnish: puhallus — malicious breach of trust
  • Finnish: höynäytys — malicious breach of trust
  • Finnish: luottamuksen hyväksikäyttö — malicious breach of trust
  • Finnish: petos — malicious breach of trust
  • French: abus de confiance — malicious breach of trust
  • German: Trickbetrug — malicious breach of trust
  • German: Hochstapelei — malicious breach of trust
  • German: Bauernfängerei — malicious breach of trust
  • Hebrew: הונאה (hona'ah) — malicious breach of trust
  • Hungarian: csalás — malicious breach of trust
  • Hungarian: szélhámosság — malicious breach of trust
  • Hungarian: átverés — malicious breach of trust
  • Polish: kant — malicious breach of trust
  • Polish: szwindel — malicious breach of trust
  • Portuguese: golpe — malicious breach of trust
  • Spanish: estafa — malicious breach of trust
  • Spanish: engañifa — malicious breach of trust
  • Spanish: engañabobos — malicious breach of trust
  • Spanish: engañifla — malicious breach of trust
  • Spanish: superchería — malicious breach of trust
  • Swedish: lurendrejeri — malicious breach of trust
  • Swedish: bondfångeri — malicious breach of trust