What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
scam
Example
The email I received was a scam, and they were trying to steal my personal information. [scam: noun]
Example
He scammed his way into getting the job by lying on his resume. [scammed: past tense]
cheat
Example
She cheated on the exam by looking at her notes. [cheated: past tense]
Example
He's a cheat and always finds a way to win by breaking the rules. [cheat: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Scam and cheat are both commonly used in everyday language, but scam is more frequently used in the context of financial fraud or online scams, while cheat is more commonly used in the context of games, sports, or academic dishonesty.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between scam and cheat?
Both scam and cheat are informal words that are not typically used in formal contexts. However, scam may be used in more formal settings when referring to financial fraud or scams that affect a large number of people.
