What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
bilking
Example
He was arrested for bilking customers out of thousands of dollars. [bilking: verb]
Example
The con artist was skilled at bilking unsuspecting victims with his elaborate schemes. [bilking: gerund or present participle]
scam
Example
She fell victim to an online scam and lost all her savings. [scam: noun]
Example
The company was accused of scamming customers with false promises. [scamming: gerund or present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Scam is more commonly used than bilking in everyday language. Scam has become a widely recognized term due to its association with various types of fraud, while bilking is less common and may be used in more specific contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between bilking and scam?
Both bilking and scam are informal terms and are typically used in casual conversations or informal writing. However, scam may be slightly more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
