verb
sting
To cheat someone out of money.
The fake ticket seller stings fans for hundreds of dollars.
Etymology
A sting causes a sharp hurt. The cheating sense transfers that hurt to the financial loss inflicted by a swindle or excessive charge.
More examples
- The mechanic stung me for repairs he never made.
- Dishonest dealers sting buyers by selling worthless jewelry as real gold.
- Scammers are stinging renters with fake apartment listings.
Forms
sting · stings · stung · stinging
Similar words
- swindle
- Emphasizes deliberate deception used to take someone's money or property.
- defraud
- More formal; often used in legal descriptions of financial cheating.