con
gb/kˈɑn/ us/kˈɑn/
A2
English
~ 2600
átverés, csalás, átver, becsap, kicsal, hátrány, negatívum
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] runs a con on [someone]
The police uncovered a con that had cheated dozens of people.
A rendőrség leleplezett egy átverést, amellyel tucatnyi embert megkárosítottak.
He fell for a con promising huge profits.
Bedőlt egy átverésnek, amely óriási hasznot ígért.
The movie is about a clever con involving fake lottery tickets.
She realized too late that the investment was just a con.
The con targeted elderly homeowners.
Learner examples
The man told a story as part of his con.
A férfi egy történetet mesélt az átverése részeként.
She lost her money in a con.
Egy átverésben elvesztette a pénzét.
They made a plan to run a con.
It was a simple con to get free food.
The con made many people angry.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'con' with 'conference' because both can be short forms; context determines meaning.
Meaning
A dishonest plan to cheat
Collocations
run a con
|pull a con
|con artist
|elaborate con
|classic con
Synonyms
scam (Common informal term for a dishonest scheme, often used in online contexts.)
|
fraud (More formal legal term for intentional deception.)
Antonyms
honesty (Represents truthful and fair behavior, the opposite of deception.)
Themes
crime
|business
|daily life
|law
Definition
A plan or trick to make someone believe something false, usually to get their money.
A dishonest plan or act intended to deceive someone for personal gain.
VERB
B1
2
Usage pattern:
to con [someone] out of [something]
He conned them out of thousands of dollars.
Több ezer dollárt csalt ki belőlük.
The scammer tried to con the tourists.
A csaló megpróbálta átverni a turistákat.
She was conned into signing a fake contract.
They conned people by pretending to be charity workers.
He conned his way into the VIP lounge.
Learner examples
He conned me out of my phone.
Átvert, és megszerezte a telefonomat.
They conned the old man for money.
Pénzt csaltak ki az öregemberből.
She was conned by her friend.
He tried to con us but failed.
The man conned many people in the city.
Common mistake:
Learners may forget that 'con' as a verb usually needs an object (someone being deceived).
Meaning
To cheat or trick someone
Collocations
con someone out of money
|try to con
|con unsuspecting victims
Synonyms
swindle (Often implies cheating in a financial deal.)
|
deceive (More general term for making someone believe something false.)
Antonyms
be honest with (Means to tell the truth and not deceive.)
Themes
crime
|daily life
|communication
|business
Definition
To trick someone so you can get their money or something else you want.
To persuade someone to believe something false, usually to get money or an advantage from them.
NOUN
A2
3
One con of the job is the long hours.
A munka egyik hátránya a hosszú munkaidő.
We need to consider the pros and cons before deciding.
Döntés előtt mérlegelnünk kell az előnyöket és a hátrányokat.
High cost is a major con of this product.
The main con is the lack of parking space.
Every decision has its pros and cons.
Learner examples
A big con is the price.
Egy nagy hátrány az ár.
There are many pros and cons to this plan.
Sok előnye és hátránya van ennek a tervnek.
One con is that it is far away.
The only con is the noise.
We talked about the pros and cons.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'con' in 'pros and cons' with 'convict' or 'conference'. Context is important.
Meaning
A disadvantage or negative point
Collocations
pros and cons
|major con
|biggest con
Synonyms
drawback (A disadvantage that makes something less desirable.)
|
downside (Informal term for a negative aspect of something.)
Antonyms
pro (The positive or beneficial aspect when weighing pros and cons.)
Themes
decision-making
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A bad or negative thing about something.
A disadvantage or negative feature of something, especially when weighing options.
Grammar
Dictionary form
con
IPA
GB/kˈɑn/
US/kˈɑn/
Syllables & stress
con (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (con)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: con
- Plural: cons
Verb
- Base: con
- 3rd Person Singular: cons
- Present Participle: conning
- Past: conned
Word family
Forms
cons
noun
conning
verb
conned
verb
Core family
pro
noun B1
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: conning Verb
- Irregular past: conned Verb
Expressions
con job
1/kˈɑn d͡ʒˈɑb/
fixed phrase
informal
An act of cheating someone
A trick used to cheat someone, usually for money.
Examples
- The lottery was just a big con job.
- They were victims of an online con job.
con artist
1/kˈɑn ˈɑɹtɪst/
fixed phrase
informal
Person who cheats others
A person who tricks people to get money or something they want.
Examples
- The police arrested a con artist who was running a fake lottery scheme.
- She lost all her savings to a smooth-talking con artist.
con artist
2/kˈɑn ˈɑɹtɪst/
fixed phrase
Person who cheats others
Someone who tricks people to get their money or things.
Examples
- The famous con artist was finally caught by the police.
- She wrote a book about her life as a former con artist.
pros and cons
1/pɹˈoʊz ˈænd kˈɑnz/
fixed phrase
Advantages and disadvantages together
The good and bad parts of something.
Examples
- We need to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.
- We listed the pros and cons of moving abroad.
- She listed the pros and cons of buying a car.
- Before buying the car, think about its pros and cons.