bunco
noun
bun·co ˈbəŋ-(ˌ)kō 
variants or bunko
plural buncos or bunkos
: a swindling game or scheme
bunco transitive verb
Synonyms
- con
- fiddle [chiefly British]
- flimflam
- fraud
- hustle
- scam
- shell game
- sting
- swindle
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
they were experts at that bunco, having fleeced wide-eyed tourists for years
Recent Examples on the Web The group organizes weekly and monthly events including dinners, dances, bingo and bunco. 
Gustavo Solis, sandiegouniontribune.com, 14 June 2018 Invite your bunco club or friends who have never played. 'sam' Boyer/special To Cleveland.com, cleveland.com, 30 Mar. 2018 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 See More
Gustavo Solis, sandiegouniontribune.com, 14 June 2018 Invite your bunco club or friends who have never played. 'sam' Boyer/special To Cleveland.com, cleveland.com, 30 Mar. 2018 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 The event will feature a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament, bunco, dinner and raffle prizes. Staff Reports, Glendale News-Press, 27 Oct. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
perhaps alteration of Spanish banca bench, banking, bank in gambling, from Italian — more at bank
First Known Use
1872, in the meaning defined above
bunco
noun
variants or bunko
as in scam
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value they were experts at that bunco, having fleeced wide-eyed tourists for years Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- scam
- con
- swindle
- fiddle
- racket
- flimflam
- scheme
- hustle
- jig
- fraud
- cross
- sting
- shell game
- device
- trick
- stratagem
- hoax
- fix
- counterfeit
- dodge
- ploy
- phony
- wile
- pyramid scheme
- sham
- forgery
- fake
- soaking
- humbug
- gimmick
- phoney
- three-card monte
- sleight
- Ponzi scheme
- rip-off
- thimblerig
- overcharging
- gouging
- death board
- death by misadventure
- death camas
- death camp
- death candle
- death cap
- death cell
- death certificate
- death chamber
- death cord
- death duty
- death fire
- death grip
- death grips
- death herb
- death house
- death instinct
- death knell
- death light
- death march
- death mask
- death metal
- death penny
- death rate
- death rates