con

UK: /ˈkɒn/ US: /kɑn/ ,(kon)

Inflections of 'con' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

cons

v 3rd person singular

conning

v pres p

conned

v past

conned

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con¹ /kɑn/   adj. 

1. against (a proposition, etc.):
   pro and con arguments.

adv. 

2. against:
   They argued pro and con all night.

n. [countable]

3. the argument, position, or person arguing against something:
   The cons have it, 20 to 15.
   Compare pro¹.

con⁴ /kɑn/   adj., v., conned, con•ning, n. 
adj. 

1. Informal Terms involving dishonesty and trickery;
   deceitful:
   swindled by a con artist.

v. 

2. Informal Terms to swindle;
   trick: [~ + object + out of + object]
   The crooks conned her out of her life savings.
   [~ + object]
   She was conned quite smoothly.
3. Informal Terms to persuade by deception, threats, exaggeration, etc.: [~ + object]
   He conned her with a scary story about witches.
   [~ + object + into + object]
   conned me into going out with her.

n. [countable]

4. Informal Terms a swindle:
   one of the oldest cons in the book.
5. Informal Terms a lie, exaggeration, or self-serving talk.

con⁵ /kɑn/   n. [countable]

1. Slang Terms Informal. a convict.

con-, prefix. 

1. con- is a variant spelling of com-. It comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "together, with.'' This meaning is found in such words as: condone, connection, convene.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con¹  (kon), adv. 

1. against a proposition, opinion, etc.:
   arguments pro and con.

n. 

2. the argument, position, arguer, or voter against something. Cf. pro¹.

• short for Latin contrā in opposition, against 1575–85

con²  (kon), v.t., conned, con•ning. 

1. to learn;
   study;
   peruse or examine carefully.
2. to commit to memory.

• Middle English cunnen, Old English cunnan variant of can¹ in sense "become acquainted with, learn to know'' bef. 1000

con³  (kon), v., conned, con•ning, n. [Naut.]
v.t. 

1. Nautical, Naval Terms to direct the steering of (a ship).

n. 

2. Nautical, Naval Terms, Building the station of the person who cons.
3. Nautical, Naval Terms the act of conning.

Also, conn. 

• Latin condūcere to conduct
• Middle French cond(u)ire
• earlier cond, apocopated variant of Middle English condie, condue 1350–1400

con⁴  (kon), adj., v., conned, con•ning, n. [Informal.]
adj. 

1. Informal Terms involving abuse of confidence:
   a con trick.

v.t. 

2. Informal Terms to swindle;
   trick:
   That crook conned me out of all my savings.
3. Informal Terms to persuade by deception, cajolery, etc.

n. 

4. Informal Terms a confidence game or swindle.
5. Informal Terms a lie, exaggeration, or glib self-serving talk:
   He had a dozen different cons for getting out of paying traffic tickets.

• by shortening of confidence 1895–1900, American.

con⁵  (kon), n. [Slang.]

1. Slang Terms a convict.

• by shortening 1715–25

con⁶  (kon), v.t., conned, con•ning. [Brit. Dial.]

1. to strike, hit, or rap (something or someone).
2. to hammer (a nail or peg).
3. to beat or thrash a person with the hands or a weapon.

• perh. akin to French cognée hatchet, cogner to knock in, drive (a nail) home 1890–95

con-, 

1. var. of com- before a consonant (except b, h, l, p, r) and, by assimilation, before n: convene;
   condone;
   connection.

• Latin

Con., 

1. Conformist.
2. Consul.

con., 

1. Music and Dance concerto.
2. conclusion.
3. connection.
4. consolidated.
5. consul.
6. continued.
7. against.
• Latin contrā

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

con / kɒn/ noun

1. (as modifier): con man

verb (cons, conning, conned)

1. (transitive) to swindle or defraud

Etymology: 19th Century: from confidence

con / kɒn/ noun (usually plural)

1. an argument or vote against a proposal, motion, etc

Compare pro1
See also pros and consEtymology: from Latin contrā against, opposed to

con / kɒn/ noun

1. 
   short for convict

con, conn / kɒn/ verb (cons, conns, conning, conned)

1. (transitive) to direct the steering of (a vessel)

Etymology: 17th Century cun, from earlier condien to guide, from Old French conduire, from Latin condūcere; see conduct

con / kɒn/ verb (cons, conning, conned)

1. (transitive) to study attentively or learn (esp in the phrase con by rote)

Etymology: 15th Century: variant of can¹ in the sense: to come to know

con / kɒn/ preposition

1. with

Etymology: Italian

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

com-, prefix. 

1. com- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "with, together with.'' This meaning is found in such words as: combine, commute, compare. For variants before other sounds, see co-, col-¹, con-, cor-.

Com.,  an abbreviation of:

1. Military Commander.
2. Commission.
3. Commissioner.
4. Committee.
5. Military Commodore.

com.,  an abbreviation of:

1. comedy.
2. commander.
3. commerce.
4. commercial.
5. committee.
6. common.
7. commonly.
8. communications.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

com-, con- prefix

1. together; with; jointly: commingle

Etymology: from Latin com-; related to cum with. In compound words of Latin origin, com- becomes col- and cor- before l and r, co- before gn, h, and most vowels, and con- before consonants other than b, p, and m. Although its sense in compounds of Latin derivation is often obscured, it means: together, with, etc (combine, compile); similar (conform); extremely, completely (consecrate)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

con- prefix

1. a variant of com-