Con Meaning, Definition, and Synonyms

The word con has several unrelated meanings. It can mean to memorize something, to cheat someone, to refer to a prison inmate, or to describe a point against an idea. The most common everyday use is the verb meaning to learn by heart.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Pronunciation

AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).

Accent: General American English

IPA: /kɑn/

Easy pronunciation: KAHN (approximate spelling).

Stress: One syllable, so the whole word is stressed.

Verb meaning to memorize; not the noun meanings 'convict' or 'swindle'.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Con Meaning

to memorize

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to commit something to memory; learn by heart

Example: She had to con the poem before the recital.

Synonyms for this meaning:

memorize — Direct match for the main sense.
memorise — British spelling of the same meaning.
learn — Works in the sense of learning by heart, though it is broader than con.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Other Meanings of Con

Meaning 2

a prisoner

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison

Example: The old slang term con is still sometimes used for a prisoner.

Synonyms for this meaning:

convict — A person found guilty and serving time.
inmate — Usually means a prisoner or resident in an institution; close but broader.

Meaning 3

a scam or trick

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property

Example: He lost money in a con that promised huge returns.

Synonyms for this meaning:

bunco — A trick or swindle.
bunko — A trick or swindle.
con game — A fraudulent scheme.
confidence game — A fraud built on trust.
confidence trick — A deceptive scheme.
flimflam — A deceitful scheme or trick.
hustle — Can mean a scam in slang, but is broader and less exact.
sting — Works in some contexts, but often refers to a planned scam or police operation.

Meaning 4

to cheat or swindle

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to deprive someone of something by deceit

Example: They tried to con him out of his savings.

Synonyms for this meaning:

defraud — To cheat someone illegally.
diddle — Informal for cheating or swindling.
hornswoggle — Informal, meaning to cheat or deceive.
mulct — To cheat or exact money unfairly.
rook — To swindle or cheat.
scam — To cheat someone out of money.
short-change — To cheat by giving less than is owed; sometimes broader in slang.
swindle — To cheat someone out of money.
victimize — To make someone a victim of fraud or abuse.

Meaning 5

a reason against something

Part of speech: noun

Definition: an argument or position against a proposal

Example: He presented a strong con for the new policy.

Meaning 6

against; on the negative side

Part of speech: adverb

Definition: in opposition to a proposition, opinion, etc.

Example: We heard arguments pro and con.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Con Synonyms

Similar Meaning

memorize
memorise
learn

a person serving a sentence in jail or prison

convict
inmate

a swindle or fraudulent scheme

bunco
bunko
con game
confidence game
confidence trick
flimflam
hustle
sting

to deprive someone of something by deceit

defraud
diddle
hornswoggle
mulct
rook
scam
short-change
swindle
victimize

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Common Mistakes

Do not confuse con meaning 'memorize' with con meaning 'scam' or 'prisoner'.
Do not use pro and con as if con were the opposite of pro in every context; that fixed phrase is a special use.
Con is not the same as convict in every sense; convict is only the prison-related noun meaning.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does con mean in English?

Con can mean to memorize something, a scam, a prisoner, or a position against an idea, depending on the context.

What is the most common meaning of con?

The most common everyday meaning is the verb 'to memorize' or 'learn by heart'.

What are good synonyms for con?

For the memorizing sense, good synonyms are memorize and memorise. For the scam sense, good synonyms include swindle, scam, and defraud, but they belong to different senses.

Is con a noun or a verb?

It can be both. It is a verb in the sense 'memorize' or 'cheat,' and a noun in the sense 'scam' or 'prisoner'.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.