Synonym Chooser

How does the verb cozen contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cozen are cheat, defraud, and swindle. While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose.

always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

Where would cheat be a reasonable alternative to cozen?

The words cheat and cozen can be used in similar contexts, but cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

When would defraud be a good substitute for cozen?

In some situations, the words defraud and cozen are roughly equivalent. However, defraud stresses depriving one of his or her rights and usually connotes deliberate perversion of the truth.

defrauded of her inheritance by an unscrupulous lawyer

When can swindle be used instead of cozen?

While in some cases nearly identical to cozen, swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence.

swindled of their savings by con artists

Examples 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 cozen The point, however, is not to entertain the driver/employee but to cozen the owner. Dan Neil, WSJ, 19 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cozen
Verb
  • And unless my eyes deceive me, the shine is turned up to 11 thanks to shimmer in her middle part.
    Marci Robin, Allure, 8 Jan. 2025
  • These include data poisoning, where training datasets are manipulated to compromise models, and adversarial attacks, which involve subtle input changes to deceive AI systems.
    Piyush Ranjan, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Caregivers may be tempted to let kids win or even cheat to avoid meltdowns and tantrums.
    Stephanie Ganz, Parents, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Most significantly, with three other dangerous Bears weapons spread to the right, safety Xavier Woods began cheating in that direction before the play began.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Don’t be fooled by its small appearance, though — this beauty can hold up to a week’s worth of clothes.
    Jasmine Grant, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2024
  • The passenger initially gave deputies a fake name and a 2012 birth date, but they were not fooled by this alibi as the woman appeared older, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Inside the plant, robotic arms plucked lids for plastic storage containers from the jaws of steel molds.
    Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024
  • First, guests take a tour of the garden and vineyards, where plucking grapes right from the vine is encouraged.
    Meg Nolan, Travel + Leisure, 25 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Other options include a rooftop deck with staircase, and a wood-burning stove, though tricking it out like this will of course increase the price significantly.
    Adam Williams, New Atlas, 7 Jan. 2025
  • In these campaigns, attackers trick developers into granting permissions to malicious applications, which then insert harmful code into popular extensions.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Dry eye disease is a condition that can disrupt your daily life with symptoms like stinging, burning, redness or even tears that roll down your cheeks.
    Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 30 Dec. 2024
  • Disappointing decisions can sting like being struck by a curveball.
    Brennan Barnard, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • These forces squeeze a star horizontally while stretching it vertically.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Egypt lost $7 billion in crucial revenue from the Suez Canal in 2024 as the conflict in Gaza has squeezed shipping in the Red Sea, according to government officials.
    Vivian Yee, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Then, with four seconds left, Knicks forward OG Anunoby missed a 3-pointer, but Hart again hustled for the offensive rebound, and the Knicks ran out the clock.
    Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 25 Dec. 2024
  • As the Saints began hustling to the 1-yard line, the official closest to the play signaled for a clock stoppage.
    Ben Standig, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024

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Thesaurus Entries Near cozen

Cite this Entry

“Cozen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cozen. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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