cheat 1 of 2

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as in to disappoint
to fall short in satisfying the expectation or hope of the daredevil survived his plunge over the falls with barely a scratch, having cheated death once again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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cheat

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb cheat contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cheat are cozen, defraud, and swindle. While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

When can cozen be used instead of cheat?

The words cozen and cheat are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose.

always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

When is defraud a more appropriate choice than cheat?

The meanings of defraud and cheat largely overlap; 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

Where would swindle be a reasonable alternative to cheat?

In some situations, the words swindle and cheat are roughly equivalent. However, swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence.

swindled of their savings by con artists

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 cheat
Verb
That operator then texted information about the cards to one of the cheating players at the table, who would then use secret hand signals to relay the information about the cards to other players involved. Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025 One of the defendants texted another co-conspirator that Billups should purposely lose a hand to avoid cheating suspicions. Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
Those two are a cheat code in the playoffs — forget taking over games, these two can take over entire series. James Mirtle, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 Based on his residency, there are boricua elements, almost like cheat codes, that will likely be snuck into the performance. Cata Balzano, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cheat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cheat
Verb
  • And, though users can make the most of lackluster AI moderation (Grok Imagine) or figure out clever ways to circumvent guardrails (Sora) in order to misrepresent famous people, the greater danger probably comes from videos that purport to capture events involving unknown parties.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The study found that AI tools routinely misrepresent news content in all languages, territories, and across AI platforms.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Flag-jacking Americans sew the maple leaf flag on their bags and lie about their nationality.
    Vivian Song, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The city lies directly in the storm’s path, prompting widespread evacuations and emergency preparations.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This Christmas, 8 year-olds may be disappointed for another reason.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Fans certainly won’t be disappointed in the show or the 50th anniversary set list that is for sure.
    Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • George Matysik, executive director of Share Food Program, a Philadelphia food bank, told USA TODAY that food banks are already squeezed by federal funding cuts.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Then, squeeze your Magic Eraser a few times to activate the foaming bubbles.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • These changes will also usher in a shift in the way U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) handles customs and tariff enforcement, with both the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) laser focused on duty dodgers.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 30 July 2025
  • Blue Jays Trade Rumors Reaching New Peak Read more Los angeles dodgers Sandy Alcántara Trade?
    Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 July 2025
Verb
  • In addition to the allegations that the companies hid the risks of taking acetaminophen, Paxton’s lawsuit also alleges that Johnson & Johnson sought to evade liability for its actions by spinning off Kenvue.
    Solcyré Burga, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Neither Father Burke or Sister Irene realize it at the end of the movie, but Valak evades banishment by possessing Frenchie.
    Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Two of our staffers sleep on eucalyptus sheets from sustainable bedding brand Sijo and give them positive reviews for their buttery texture.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 27 Oct. 2025
  • There were also reports that the two slept on separate beds at Windsor Castle.
    StyleCaster Editors, StyleCaster, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Inside the final 51 seconds of regulation, Durham flung a pass to Proctor, who hustled all the way into the end zone to complete the 60-yard touchdown pass.
    Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2025
  • On Canal Street on Thursday morning, lost tourists tripped over commuters hustling out of the subway, the grates on the souvenir stores went up, but most of the street vendors were still missing.
    Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cheat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cheat. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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