con trick: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal
Quick answer
What does “con trick” mean?
A dishonest scheme designed to trick someone into giving away money or valuables.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A dishonest scheme designed to trick someone into giving away money or valuables.
More broadly, any cunning act of deception, not always for financial gain, which relies on gaining the victim's trust. The term can be metaphorically extended to describe manipulative political or commercial tactics.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'con trick' is predominantly British and Commonwealth English. The full phrase 'confidence trick' is also more common in British usage.
Connotations
In British English, it carries a slight vintage or narrative flavour, often associated with classic street scams. The imagery is of a cunning individual outwitting another.
Frequency
High frequency in UK informal/news contexts. In American English, 'scam', 'con', 'scheme', or 'swindle' are more prevalent standalone terms, though 'confidence trick' is understood.
Grammar
How to Use “con trick” in a Sentence
[Perpetrator] + pull/perform + a con trick + on [Victim][Victim] + fall for + a con trickIt + be + a con trickVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “con trick” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They managed to con trick the elderly couple out of their life savings. (Note: 'con' is the verb, 'trick' is not part of the verb form)
- He was conned into buying worthless shares.
American English
- Scammers tried to con her into wiring money. (US prefers 'con' or 'scam' as verbs)
adverb
British English
- Not applicable. No standard adverbial form.
American English
- Not applicable. No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- It was a classic con-trick scenario. (Often hyphenated when attributive)
- He had a con-trick mentality.
American English
- It was a classic scam operation. (US less likely to use 'con-trick' attributively)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare in formal business documents but used in internal warnings about fraud: 'The procurement department was nearly taken in by an elaborate con trick.'
Academic
Used in criminology, sociology, or media studies when analysing deceptive practices.
Everyday
Common in conversation and news reports about scams: 'He lost his savings to a cruel con trick.'
Technical
Not a technical legal term (cf. 'fraud', 'obtaining by deception'), but used in police and security briefings.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “con trick”
- Using 'contrick' as one word (should be two: con trick).
- Confusing it with 'magic trick'. A con trick is always malicious.
- Using it as a verb (*'He conned tricked me'). The verb is simply 'to con'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Very similar, but a 'con trick' specifically implies a personal interaction where the deceiver gains the victim's confidence. A 'scam' can be more impersonal, like an email scam.
'Con' can be the short form for 'con trick' (noun) or mean the act of deceiving (verb). 'Con trick' is always a noun phrase describing the scheme itself.
It is informal. In formal legal or business contexts, terms like 'fraud', 'deception', or 'swindle' are more appropriate.
It is a late 19th-century abbreviation of 'confidence', as in 'confidence trick'—a trick exploiting the victim's confidence in the trickster.
A dishonest scheme designed to trick someone into giving away money or valuables.
Con trick: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒn ˌtrɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːn ˌtrɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A con artist is someone who makes a living pulling con tricks.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A CONvict uses a CONFIDENCE TRICK to CON you.
Conceptual Metaphor
DECEPTION IS A PERFORMANCE / THEATRE (e.g., 'pulling off' a trick, 'acting' the part).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is the closest synonym to 'con trick', emphasising the building of trust?