Cheating

/ˈtʃiːtɪŋ/

verbBeginnerVery CommonGeneral

Definitions

1

To act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage.

/ˈtʃiːtɪŋ/

verbnegativeBeginner
General

Acting dishonestly or unfairly

The student was expelled for cheating on the final exam.

💡 Simply: Cheating means breaking the rules to get what you want, like secretly copying answers on a test or using unfair tactics in a game. It's like taking a shortcut that isn't allowed.

👶 For kids: Breaking the rules to win or get something.

More Examples

2

He cheated his way to the top of the company.

How It's Used

Academic

"He was caught cheating on the exam."

Games

"She cheated at cards to win."

Relationships

"He was cheating on his wife."

Idioms & expressions

cheat death

To narrowly escape death.

"He cheated death in a car accident."

From "cheat," ultimately from Old French *chicane, meaning 'trickery, deception.'

The word has long connoted dishonesty, but its usage in various contexts has evolved over time.

Memory tip

Think of a 'cheat code' in a video game – it gives an unfair advantage.

Base: cheat
cheatincheatinggcheatingh

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written