CON (conned, conning)
Dictionary entry overview: What does con mean?
• CON (noun)
The noun CON has 3 senses:
1. an argument opposed to a proposal
2. a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
3. a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property
Familiarity information: CON used as a noun is uncommon.
• CON (verb)
The verb CON has 2 senses:
1. deprive of by deceit
2. commit to memory; learn by heart
Familiarity information: CON used as a verb is rare.
• CON (adverb)
The adverb CON has 1 sense:
1. on the negative side
Familiarity information: CON used as an adverb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
• CON (noun)
Meaning:
An argument opposed to a proposal
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("con" is a kind of...):
argument; statement (a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true)
Antonym:
pro (an argument in favor of a proposal)
Meaning:
A person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Synonyms:
jailbird; jail bird; gaolbird; convict; con; yard bird; yardbird; inmate
Hypernyms ("con" is a kind of...):
captive; prisoner (a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "con"):
lifer (a prisoner serving a term of life imprisonment)
trusty (a convict who is considered trustworthy and granted special privileges)
Meaning:
A swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
bunco; gyp; flimflam; confidence trick; confidence game; con game; bunko game; bunko; bunco game; hustle; con; sting
Hypernyms ("con" is a kind of...):
cheat; rig; swindle (the act of swindling by some fraudulent scheme)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "con"):
sting operation (a complicated confidence game planned and executed with great care (especially an operation implemented by undercover agents to apprehend criminals))
• CON (verb)
Meaning:
Deprive of by deceit
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
swindle; scam; rook; nobble; mulct; hornswoggle; gyp; goldbrick; gip; diddle; defraud; con; bunco; short-change; victimize
Context examples:
He swindled me out of my inheritance / She defrauded the customers who trusted her / the cashier gypped me when he gave me too little change
Hypernyms (to "con" is one way to...):
cheat; chisel; rip off (deprive somebody of something by deceit)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "con"):
short; short-change (cheat someone by not returning him enough money)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Sentence example:
They con him of all his money
Meaning:
Commit to memory; learn by heart
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
memorize; memorise; con; learn
Context example:
Have you memorized your lines for the play yet?
Hypernyms (to "con" is one way to...):
hit the books; study (learn by reading books)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "con"):
alternate; understudy (be an understudy or alternate for a role)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
• CON (adverb)
Meaning:
On the negative side
Synonyms:
con; in opposition
Context example:
much was written pro and con
Antonym:
pro (favoring a proposition, opinion, etc.)
