What does "swindle" mean?
An instance of swindling.
Swindle
/ˈswɪnd(ə)l/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An instance of swindling.
- Grammar: swindle is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: cheat, fraud, abstract, abstraction.
- Useful contrasts: fair dealing, honesty, legality.
- Usage evidence: Con artists take advantage of the credulity of inexperienced investors and swindle them out of their money.
How to use "swindle"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "swindle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "swindle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "swindle" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "swindle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "swindle" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cheat" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "swindle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An instance of swindling.
"There were men there who had committed merciless robberies, cruel murders, heartless swindles, abominable depravities."
- 2 the act of swindling by some fraudulent scheme wordnet
- 3 Anything that is deceptively not what it appears to be.
- 4 An instance wherein a player in a losing position plays a clever move that provokes an error from the opponent, thus achieving a win or a draw.
Verb
- 1 To defraud. transitive
"The two men swindled the company out of $160,000."
- 2 deprive of by deceit wordnet
- 3 To obtain (money or property) by fraudulent or deceitful methods. ambitransitive
"She swindled more than £200 out of me."
- 4 For a player in a losing position to play a clever move that provokes an error from the opponent, thus achieving a win or a draw.
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Antonyms
Example
"Con artists take advantage of the credulity of inexperienced investors and swindle them out of their money."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "swindle"?
Common synonyms include: cheat, fraud, abstract, abstraction, and, annex.
How do you use "swindle" in a sentence?
Con artists take advantage of the credulity of inexperienced investors and swindle them out of their money.
How do you pronounce "swindle"?
Pronounced /ˈswɪnd(ə)l/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Back-formation from swindler, from German Schwindler, from German schwindeln, from Middle High German swindeln, swindelen, from Old High German swintilōn, frequentative of the verb swintan, from Proto-West Germanic *swindan (“to diminish”). See also Modern German schwindeln, Danish svindel and svindle, Dutch zwindelen and zwendelen, Yiddish שווינדל (shvindl), Low German swinneln, Middle English swinden (“to languish, waste away”).
Etymology 2
* As an English surname, variant of Swindell. * As a German surname, Americanized from Schwindell, a diminutive of the lost Middle High German adjective swinde (“impetuous, wild”).