Swindle: meaning, definitions and examples

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swindle

 

[ ˈswɪnd(ə)l ]

Verb / Noun
Context #1 | Verb

fraudulent activity

To swindle means to use deception to deprive someone of money or possessions.

Synonyms

cheat, defraud, scam

Examples of usage

  • He swindled his elderly neighbor out of her life savings.
  • The con artist swindled innocent people out of thousands of dollars.
Context #2 | Noun

deceptive scheme

A swindle is a fraudulent scheme or action.

Synonyms

fraud, hoax, scam

Examples of usage

  • The Ponzi scheme turned out to be a massive swindle.
  • She fell victim to an online swindle.

Translations

Translations of the word "swindle" in other languages:

🇵🇹 fraude

🇮🇳 धोखा

🇩🇪 Betrug

🇮🇩 penipuan

🇺🇦 шахрайство

🇵🇱 oszustwo

🇯🇵 詐欺

🇫🇷 escroquerie

🇪🇸 estafa

🇹🇷 dolandırıcılık

🇰🇷 사기

🇸🇦 احتيال

🇨🇿 podvod

🇸🇰 podvod

🇨🇳 诈骗

🇸🇮 prevara

🇮🇸 svik

🇰🇿 алаяқтық

🇬🇪 თაღლითობა

🇦🇿 dələduzluq

🇲🇽 estafa

Etymology

The word 'swindle' originated in the late 18th century, possibly from the German 'schwindeln' meaning 'to be giddy or in a state of vertigo'. Over time, it evolved to mean 'to cheat or deceive'. The concept of swindling has been present throughout history, with various scams and fraudulent activities targeting unsuspecting individuals.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #27,337, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.