Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

con man

American  
[kon man] / ˈkɒn ˌmæn /
Or conman

noun

Slang.
  1. short for confidence man.


con man British  

noun

  1. More formal term: confidence maninformal a person who swindles another by means of a confidence trick

"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

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.

In Hays: “Paper Moon,” a film about a Depression-era con man played by Ryan O’Neal and his little girl, was shot in black and white throughout Ellis County.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

Before you got twisted up by this lying con man?

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

This is precisely what a con man would say to a mark.

From Salon • Dec. 21, 2025

What kind of con artist cons the con man into thinking he believes this bile.

From Salon • Aug. 22, 2025

“Word’s spread all over Manifest and beyond that you’re a con man par excellence,” Shady observed.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "con man" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com