Cheater vs. Cheat — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on May 7, 2024
A cheater is a person who acts dishonestly, whereas cheat can refer to both the action of cheating and the person who cheats.
Difference Between Cheater and Cheat
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A cheater is an individual who engages in deception or fraud, typically in contexts where trust and fairness are expected, such as in games or examinations. Cheat, on the other hand, can be used both as a noun to describe a person who cheats and as a verb for the act itself.
Cheaters are often characterized by their recurring behavior of breaking rules for personal gain. Whereas cheat as a verb encapsulates the specific acts or methods employed by cheaters.
In terms of usage, "cheater" clearly labels someone as being deceitful. Cheat as a verb is more dynamic, describing an action, such as "to cheat at cards."
Socially, being called a cheater carries a strong negative connotation, impacting one's reputation. Cheat used as a noun can similarly tarnish one’s image, but as a verb, it focuses more on the action than the character.
From a linguistic perspective, "cheater" is a straightforward noun. In contrast, cheat is versatile, functioning as a verb, a noun, and even colloquially as an adjective, as in "cheat sheet."
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Noun
Verb, Noun
Definition
A person who cheats
The act of cheating or a method
Usage Context
Describing a person
Describing action or person
Linguistic Function
Static
Dynamic (action-focused)
Social Connotation
Strongly negative
Negative, varies with context
Compare with Definitions
Cheater
An individual who violates rules consistently.
As a notorious cheater, she was closely watched during all games.
Cheat
Informally, a helpful shortcut or tip.
She shared a cheat for getting through the video game level faster.
Cheater
Informally, someone who uses unauthorized aids in less serious contexts.
Using a cheat sheet, the cheater easily passed the quiz.
Cheat
A strategy or action employed in cheating.
Using hidden notes is a common cheat in exams.
Cheater
Often used in personal relationships to describe infidelity.
She ended the relationship after discovering he was a cheater.
Cheat
Someone who cheats; a cheater.
She confronted the cheat who sold her the fake tickets.
Cheater
Someone who deceives others to gain an unfair advantage.
The cheater manipulated the results to win the contest.
Cheat
To deceive or trick someone.
He cheated investors out of millions of dollars.
Cheater
A person who acts dishonestly in a game or examination.
He was labeled a cheater after being caught using his phone during the test.
Cheat
To act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage.
He decided to cheat on the final exam to ensure he passed.
Cheater
To deceive by trickery; swindle
Cheated customers by overcharging them for purchases.
Cheat
To deceive by trickery; swindle
Cheated customers by overcharging them for purchases.
Cheater
To deprive by trickery; defraud
Cheated them of their land.
Cheat
To deprive by trickery; defraud
Cheated them of their land.
Cheater
To mislead; fool
Illusions that cheat the eye.
Cheat
To mislead; fool
Illusions that cheat the eye.
Cheater
To elude; escape
Cheat death.
Cheat
To elude; escape
Cheat death.
Cheater
To act dishonestly; practice fraud.
Cheat
To act dishonestly; practice fraud.
Cheater
To violate rules deliberately, as in a game
Was accused of cheating at cards.
Cheat
To violate rules deliberately, as in a game
Was accused of cheating at cards.
Cheater
(Sports) To position oneself closer to a certain area than is normal or expected
The shortstop cheated toward second base.
Cheat
(Sports) To position oneself closer to a certain area than is normal or expected
The shortstop cheated toward second base.
Cheater
An act of cheating; a fraud or swindle.
Cheat
An act of cheating; a fraud or swindle.
Cheater
One who cheats; a swindler.
Cheat
One who cheats; a swindler.
Cheater
A technique that exploits a flaw or hidden feature in a video game or computer program.
Cheat
A technique that exploits a flaw or hidden feature in a video game or computer program.
Cheater
(Law) Fraudulent acquisition of another's property.
Cheat
(Law) Fraudulent acquisition of another's property.
Cheater
(Botany) Any of several species of brome, especially Bromus secalinus, an annual European grass widespread as a weed.
Cheat
(Botany) Any of several species of brome, especially Bromus secalinus, an annual European grass widespread as a weed.
Cheater
One who cheats.
Cheat
(intransitive) To violate rules in order to gain, or attempt to gain, advantage from a situation.
My brother flunked biology because he cheated on his mid-term.
Cheater
An improvised breaker bar made from a length of pipe and a wrench (spanner), usually used to free screws, bolts, etc. that are difficult to remove with a ratchet or wrench alone.
Cheat
(transitive) To manage to avoid something even though it seemed inevitable.
He cheated death when his car collided with a moving train.
I feel as if I've cheated fate.
Cheater
(obsolete) An escheater.
Cheat
(transitive) To deceive; to fool; to trick.
My ex-wife cheated me out of $40,000.
He cheated his way into office.
Cheater
One who cheats.
Cheat
Someone who cheats.
Cheater
An escheator.
Cheat
An act of deception or fraud; that which is the means of fraud or deception.
Cheater
Someone who leads you to believe something that is not true
Cheat
The weed cheatgrass.
Cheat
(card games) A card game where the goal is to have no cards remaining in a hand, often by telling lies.
Cheat
(video games) A hidden means of gaining an unfair advantage in a video game, often by entering a cheat code.
Cheat
(obsolete) A sort of low-quality bread.
Cheat
An act of deception or fraud; that which is the means of fraud or deception; a fraud; a trick; imposition; imposture.
When I consider life, 'tis all a cheat.
Cheat
One who cheats or deceives; an impostor; a deceiver; a cheater.
Airy wonders, which cheats interpret.
Cheat
A troublesome grass, growing as a weed in grain fields; - called also chess. See Chess.
Cheat
The obtaining of property from another by an intentional active distortion of the truth.
Cheat
Wheat, or bread made from wheat.
Their purest cheat,Thrice bolted, kneaded, and subdued in paste.
Cheat
To deceive and defraud; to impose upon; to trick; to swindle.
I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of this island.
Cheat
To beguile.
To cheat winter of its dreariness.
Cheat
To practice fraud or trickery; as, to cheat at cards.
Cheat
Weedy annual grass often occurs in grainfields and other cultivated land; seeds sometimes considered poisonous
Cheat
Weedy annual native to Europe but widely distributed as a weed especially in wheat
Cheat
Someone who leads you to believe something that is not true
Cheat
The act of swindling by some fraudulent scheme;
That book is a fraud
Cheat
A deception for profit to yourself
Cheat
Deprive somebody of something by deceit;
The con-man beat me out of $50
This salesman ripped us off!
We were cheated by their clever-sounding scheme
They chiseled me out of my money
Cheat
Defeat someone in an expectation through trickery or deceit
Cheat
Engage in deceitful behavior; practice trickery or fraud;
Who's chiseling on the side?
Common Curiosities
What defines a cheater?
A cheater is someone who consistently engages in dishonest or fraudulent behaviors.
Is calling someone a cheater always negative?
Yes, it has a strongly negative connotation in almost all contexts.
What are the consequences of being a cheater?
Social ostracism, loss of trust, and potential legal consequences.
How does the verb 'to cheat' differ from the noun 'cheater'?
The verb focuses on the action, while the noun focuses on the person and their character.
Is it grammatically correct to call a tactic a cheat?
Yes, in informal contexts, tactics can be referred to as cheats.
What are some synonyms for cheater?
Trickster, fraudster, deceiver.
Can cheat be used in a positive context?
Informally, yes, such as in "cheat sheet" or "cheat code."
Can cheat be used to describe a person?
Yes, cheat can be used as a noun to describe a person who cheats.
Are cheats always premeditated?
Cheats can be both spontaneous and planned.
How does society view cheaters and cheats?
Both are viewed negatively, though the impact on reputation may be stronger for cheaters.
How can one identify a cheater in a game?
Often through inconsistent or suspiciously superior performance.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
