Synonyms of cons

cons 1 of 4

noun (1)

plural of con

as in prisoners

a person convicted as a criminal and serving a prison sentence

a program to help ex-cons find employment

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prisoners
• convicts
• inmates
• jailbirds
• trusties
• parolees
• captives
• lifers
• internees
• captures
• probationers

cons

2 of 4

noun (2)

plural of con

as in scams

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scams
• frauds
• swindles
• hustles
• devices
• schemes
• shell games
• fiddles
• hoaxes
• tricks
• stings
• buncos
• flimflams
• rackets
• pyramid schemes
• Ponzi schemes
• fixes
• stratagems
• counterfeits
• sleights
• crosses
• wiles
• dodges
• rip-offs
• gimmicks
• phonies
• fakes
• jigs
• ploys
• thimblerigs
• forgeries
• shams
• three-card montes
• humbug

cons

3 of 4

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of con

1

as in studies

to commit to memory

usually candidates con their entire campaign speech, right down to the jokes they supposedly ad-lib

Synonyms & Similar Words

• studies
• learns
• memorizes
• knows
• remembers
• understands
• grasps
• retains
• accepts
• recalls
• thinks (of)
• minds
• harks back (to)
• gets
• comprehends
• recollects
• absorbs
• digests
• relives
• apprehends
• reminisces (about)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• forgets
• ignores
• neglects
• passes over
• disregards
• overlooks
• unlearns
• slurs (over)
• disremembers
• slights
• misremembers
• overpasses

2

as in reviews

to look over closely (as for judging quality or condition)

seemed to be conning his face for any sign of uncertainty

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reviews
• scans
• examines
• surveys
• inspects
• views
• audits
• watches
• scrutinizes
• analyzes
• goes over
• checks (out)
• oversees
• studies
• overlooks
• explores
• notices
• investigates
• dissects
• researches
• probes
• combs
• pores (over)
• peruses
• parses
• categorizes
• classifies
• observes
• delves (into)
• plumbs
• picks over
• reinspects
• rereviews
• resurveys

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• misses
• glances (at or over)
• skims

cons

4 of 4

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of con

1

as in hustles

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hustles
• cheats
• squeezes
• plucks
• stings
• tricks
• sticks
• beats
• does
• screws
• swindles
• suckers
• deceives
• cozens
• shakes down
• fleeces
• shorts
• bleeds
• rips off
• mulcts
• bilks
• defrauds
• gaffs
• fiddles
• victimizes
• shortchanges
• skins
• exploits
• reams
• rooks
• chouses
• diddles
• chisels
• skunks
• stiffs
• fools
• hoses
• flimflams
• euchres
• thimblerigs
• nobbles
• does in
• takes to the cleaners
• betrays
• sells a bill of goods to
• wrenches
• takes for a ride
• clips
• extorts
• dupes
• milks
• nicks
• gouges
• overcharges
• wrings
• soaks
• gulls
• wrests
• bitches
• ropes (in)
• double-crosses
• bamboozles
• fast-talks

2

as in tricks

to cause to believe what is untrue

tried to con me into thinking that he had actually won the lottery

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tricks
• fools
• deceives
• kids
• dupes
• strings along
• suckers
• teases
• juggles
• cozens
• deludes
• hoodwinks
• fakes out
• hoaxes
• gaffs
• humbugs
• gulls
• misleads
• bluffs
• misinforms
• has on
• takes in
• cheats
• spoofs
• bamboozles
• misguides
• sucks in
• stings
• snookers
• snows
• does a number on
• hornswoggles
• has
• leads one down the garden path
• beguiles
• buffaloes
• gammons
• burns
• catches
• pulls one's leg
• swindles
• pulls the wool over one's eyes
• hustles
• sticks
• fleeces
• mulcts
• defrauds
• puts on
• shortchanges
• flimflams
• skins
• bleeds
• rooks
• chisels
• diddles
• euchres
• squeezes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reveals
• exposes
• debunks
• shows up
• uncovers
• unmasks
• discloses
• undeceives
• tells
• divulges
• unveils
• uncloaks
• disillusions
• disenchants
• disabuses

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cons

Noun

What are the pros and cons of private investments? —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026

The pros and cons of fiber-optic guidance Ukrainian forces have pushed standard FPV drones to ranges of 50 to 60 kilometers by integrating Starlink links, relay drones, and mothership launch platforms. —Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026

Like a lot of us, Emmel jumped into some deep convos about the pros and cons of AI these days. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026

Samsonite luggage cons Some users experience trouble with the zippers on various soft-side luggage products, and others have found the company’s hardside luggage options lacking in terms of available space and expandability. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026

This deliberative process should allow 535 Congresspeople and 100 Senators to weigh the pros and cons of war against Iran. —Dr. Michael Good, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026

Consider both carefully, then, before getting started, and explore the pros and cons of splitting your funds between both to best determine your next step. —Matt Richardson, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026

This focuses the debate not on the pros and cons of string theory but on the reasonableness of the assumptions. —Quanta Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026

Here’s what some workers, managers and experts have to say about the pros and cons of microshifting. —ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026