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verb

swindle

SWIHNDL
verb
1
To cheat someone out of money or property through deception.
"He swindled elderly investors out of their savings."
"She was swindled by a fake charity collector."
noun
1
A dishonest scheme designed to cheat people out of money.
"The whole investment turned out to be an elaborate swindle."

How to Use Swindle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo trick someone out of their money, or a scheme designed to do so.

Easily confused with
swaddle
Common pairings
swindle someone out of an elaborate swindle

Word Forms

swindled past tense, swindles plural, Swindles plural, swindles singular

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He _____ elderly investors out of their savings.

Etymology

A back-formation from swindler, itself borrowed from German Schwindler, related to schwindeln ("to be dizzy" or, figuratively, "to deceive").

Related Words

Rhymes for swindle

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial