shortchange

[ shawrt-cheynj ]

/ ˈʃɔrtˈtʃeɪndʒ /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR shortchange ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), short·changed, short·chang·ing.

to give less than the correct change to.

to deal with unfairly or dishonestly, especially to cheat.

RELATED WORDS

bamboozle, bilk, deceive, defraud, dupe, finagle, fleece, flimflam, gyp, hose, mislead, rook, scam, screw, shaft, stiff, swindle, take, trick, double-deal

Nearby words

short-winded, shortage, shortboard, shortbread, shortcake, shortchange, shortcoming, shortcrust pastry, shortcut, shorten, shortened form

Origin of shortchange

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

Related forms

short·chang·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for shortchange

Like all other government entities in the U.S., Puerto Rico has many people to shortchange before it will stiff its bondholders.
Wall Street’s Disconnect|Daniel Gross|October 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Did they really think he would diss Obama, or shortchange him—or do anything but support him wholeheartedly?
Obama, Clinton Scored Back to Back Home Runs With Their Speeches|Robert Shrum|September 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST