swindler
Americannoun
-
swindlers
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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; cf. -le, -er 1 ( def. )
Explanation
If you know someone is a swindler, stay away from him. Swindlers are scammers who con people to make a buck. Unfortunately, there are many types of people in the world who will try to get your money. Somewhere between a used car salesman and an outright thief is a swindler — someone who lies to get your money, sometimes by suggesting you invest in something phony. Many people on the Internet asking for money are swindlers, and if anyone tries to sell you a bridge, that's likely another swindler. Swindlers are also called grifters, scammers, and con artists. The last person in the world you should give money to is a swindler.
Vocabulary lists containing swindler
The Jungle
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All My Sons
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The Boy Who Dared
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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:
Federal prosecutors called him a pathological liar and swindler who falsely portrayed himself as a successful businessman and real-estate mogul with stints at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
An already-tense relationship appeared to worsen further last week with Mr Altman taunting Mr Musk's offer on X, and Mr Musk retorting by calling his onetime partner a "swindler".
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2025
It will come along soon enough, and the reckoning won’t be made until billions of dollars are lost and the next swindler with a clever story goes to jail.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2023
Powered by AI, a slew of cheap online tools can translate an audio file into a replica of a voice, allowing a swindler to make it “speak” whatever they type.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 5, 2023
He had gone hunting there in company with his uncles and Autolykos, his mother’s father—a great thief and swindler by Hermes’ favor, for Autolykos pleased him with burnt offerings of sheep and kids.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
For now, the humble paper check remains too deeply woven into the fabric of American life to truly rest in peace — even if writing one means playing a riskier game with swindlers.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
“It gives us so much life that people are finding the issues of swindlers, whether it’s gentrification, the taking over of settlements,” says Montoya.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
His main concern is unknowingly engaging with swindlers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026
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 ● Dec. 3, 2025
"It's about a gentleman thief who helps honest men ruined by swindlers."
From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
