has been conning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been conning" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an ongoing action of deceiving or tricking someone that started in the past and continues into the present. Example: "He has been conning people out of their money for years, and finally, someone reported him to the authorities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

If the so-called "hot hand fallacy" applies, then anyone who ever "got hot" -- in a half-court pick-up game, a high school intramural contest or the seventh game of an NBA championship -- has been conning him or herself.

Huffington Post

Buzzfeed News, which claims that the brand (which is owned by JustFab) has been "conning customers into unwanted subscriptions since at least 2004," spoke with a representative from the brand, who said "as a fashion company, our flexible-subscription business model makes it possible to pass along the substantial savings we realize to our customers".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Unfortunately it is a scam, and he has been conned.

The Guardian - Tech

Since then Gwen has made two critically mauled flops and Eddie has been conned inside a New Age loony bin.

The Guardian - Film

One of the first things Mr. Ajamie does when someone who has been conned walks into his office is a Google search of the accused schemer.

The New York Times

The public has been conned into believing that the Grand National is a great sporting spectacle when, in reality, it is straightforward animal abuse that is on a par with Spanish bullfighting".

The Guardian - Sport

The assistant referee has been conned and unfortunately we lost a man from then on.

BBC

He has been conned by his backbenchers and so for us this is a political stunt that we will not be involved in it.

BBC

Adam discovers that he has been conned by Candy, and will not be receiving any return on his pornography investment.

Wikipedia

You have some people who are business people who before the internet would have been conning people out of investments.

The Guardian - Tech

"For too long, house builders have been conning the public into buying hugely overpriced rubbish, the architectural equivalent of the turkey twizzler".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "has been conning", ensure the context clearly indicates an ongoing or repeated action of deception that started in the past and continues to the present. For example, "The company has been conning its customers for years with hidden fees."

Common error

Avoid using "has been conning" to describe a single, completed act of deception in the past. Instead, use "conned" to indicate the action is finished. For example, instead of "He has been conning me yesterday", say "He conned me yesterday".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been conning" functions as a present perfect continuous verb phrase. It indicates an action of deceiving or tricking that began in the past and continues into the present. This usage is supported by Ludwig, which identifies it as grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has been conning" is a present perfect continuous verb phrase used to describe an ongoing action of deception. As verified by Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and commonly found in news and media contexts. While the phrase carries a neutral tone and is suitable for general discussions, it’s crucial to use it accurately to describe ongoing deceptive behaviors rather than isolated incidents. Alternatives like "has been deceiving" or "has been tricking" can be used depending on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been deceiving

Replaces "conning" with a more formal synonym, "deceiving".

has been tricking

Substitutes "conning" with a more informal synonym, "tricking".

has been defrauding

Substitutes "conning" with a more formal synonym, "defrauding", suggesting illegal deception.

has been duping

Substitutes "conning" with a synonym, "duping", emphasizing the act of fooling someone.

has been swindling

Replaces "conning" with a synonym that implies financial deception, "swindling".

has been cheating

Replaces "conning" with "cheating", implying unfair or dishonest behavior.

has been hoodwinking

Replaces "conning" with a synonym that suggests trickery and deception, "hoodwinking".

has been misleading

Replaces "conning" with a milder term, "misleading", indicating a less severe form of deception.

has been bamboozling

Substitutes "conning" with a more playful and informal term, "bamboozling".

has been deceiving and manipulating

Expands "conning" to include both deception and control through "manipulating".

FAQs

What's the difference between "has been conning" and "conned"?

"Has been conning" indicates an ongoing or repeated action of deceiving that started in the past and continues. "Conned", on the other hand, refers to a single, completed act of deception. For example, "He "has been conning" people for years", versus "He "conned" me yesterday".

What are some alternatives to "has been conning"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "has been deceiving", "has been tricking", or "has been swindling".

How do I use "has been conning" in a sentence?

Use "has been conning" to describe an ongoing pattern of deceptive behavior. For example, "The website "has been conning" users by promising unrealistic returns on investments".

Is "has been conning" a formal or informal phrase?

"Has been conning" is generally considered a neutral phrase, suitable for both news reports and casual conversation. However, more formal alternatives like "has been defrauding" might be preferred in legal or business contexts.