estafar

Meaning (in English)

Estafar means to swindle, scam, or defraud someone—usually by deceiving them to obtain money, property, or some benefit. It often implies an intentional trick or con.

• Common translation: to scam / to defraud / to swindle / to con
• Typical use: Estafaron a mucha gente con inversiones falsas. — “They scammed many people with fake investments.”

Parts / Form

• Verb (infinitive): estafar
• Root: estaf-
• Ending: -ar (regular -ar verb)

Multiple meanings / nuances

1. Legal/financial fraud: committing fraud for money or goods (the most common meaning).
2. General sense (informal): to “rip someone off,” meaning to charge unfairly or deceive in a less formal context, though it still carries the idea of dishonesty.

Spanish synonyms

• defraudar
• timar
• engañar (more general: “to deceive”)
• estafar can overlap with dar una estafa / hacer una estafa (noun phrases)
• robar is related but not a true synonym (robbery/theft doesn’t always involve deception)

Spanish antonyms (if applicable)

• ser honesto
• actuar con honestidad
• cumplir (to fulfill/keep one’s obligations)
• pagar (in contexts of owing money rather than cheating)