swindler

American  

[swind-ler] / ˈswɪnd lər /

noun

1. a person who cheats or defrauds others.

   The swindler Charles Ponzi became infamous for the money scheme that was later named after him.

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Etymology

Origin of swindler

First recorded in 1765–75; from German Schwindler “irresponsible person, promoter of wildcat schemes, cheat,” derivative of schwindeln “to be dizzy (hence be dizzy-minded, be irresponsible), defraud,” equivalent to schwind- (cognate with Old English swindan “to languish”) + -(e)l- + -er; -le, -er ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

His main concern is unknowingly engaging with swindlers.

From The Wall Street Journal

More often than not, they were low-level swindlers looking at a system full of holes because it was trying to do too much too fast.

From Los Angeles Times

He is a swindler, a snob and a savage misanthrope.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sometimes they act on their own, she added, but more often they are recruited by professional swindlers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Investigators tell Barron’s that they have already seen some common tactics in small-cap Chinese IPOs that will make it hard to identify potential swindlers.

From Barron's

Related Words

• charlatan
• cheater
• con artist
• counterfeiter
• crook
• forger
• rascal
• thief