Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

bunko

American  
[buhng-koh] / ˈbʌŋ koʊ /
Or bunco

noun

bunkos plural
  1. a swindle in which a person is cheated at gambling, persuaded to buy a nonexistent, unsalable, or worthless object, or otherwise victimized.

  2. any misrepresentation.


verb (used with object)

bunkoed, bunkoing
  1. to victimize by a bunko.

bunko British  
/ ˈbʌŋkəʊ /

noun

  1. a variant spelling of bunco

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of bunko

1880–85; shortened form of bunkum; cf. -o

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Neighbors knew her from the monthly gathering of women who rotated between homes for games of the dice game bunko.

From Time Dec. 17, 2012

To date, the efforts by police bunko squads and civic associations to clean up the repair industry have resulted in licensing laws for various types of servicemen in several states.

From Time Magazine Archive

Truman also said that the television report had been "fixed up by BBDO"�which he defined as "bunko, bull, deceit and obfuscation."

From Time Magazine Archive

Then an incessantly self-admiring bunko artist figured out Laura's canny fraud and threatened to expose her unless she let him become Steele, with appropriate office space and elaborate perks.

From Time Magazine Archive

He tries to tell me that this minin' business is all a bunko game, and that there's a paper out for the boss.

From Torchy by Brehm, George

"Well, I'll be bunkoed," said Uncle Ike, as he began to pull the sweater off over his head.

From Peck's Uncle Ike and The Red Headed Boy 1899 by Peck, George W. (George Wilbur)

If they 15 promised that, they sure bunkoed themselves.

From In the Shadow of the Hills by Shedd, George C. (George Clifford)

I hope I'm a good loser as far as the money goes, but I hate to be bunkoed.

From Fore! by Loan, Charles Emmett Van

“Besides,” Burd Alling said in comment on this, “for a good cause we are all ready and willing to be bunkoed a little.”

From The Campfire Girls of Roselawn Or, a Strange Message from the Air by Penrose, Margaret

“So you’re the party who bunkoed Lefty, are you?”

From Lefty Locke Pitcher-Manager by Standish, Burt L.

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training