35 Idioms About Cheating

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Cheating is something most people have heard about or seen. It can happen in games, school, or even in relationships. When someone breaks the rules or hides the truth to get an advantage, that’s cheating. People often use special phrases called idioms to talk about this behavior. These idioms help explain how it feels when someone is dishonest.

Idioms make language more interesting and easy to understand. When we say someone “two-timed” or “played dirty,” we are using idioms. These phrases say a lot without using many words. In this article, we will explore idioms that describe cheating. You’ll learn what they mean, how to use them, and see fun facts too. This will help you understand and talk about cheating in a smarter way.

Idioms About Cheating

1. Two-time

Meaning: To cheat on someone in a relationship
Example Sentence:
• He two-timed his girlfriend by going out with someone else.
• She felt hurt when she found out she was being two-timed.
Other ways to say: Cheat on, be unfaithful
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom comes from the idea of spending time with two people at once without telling them.
Usage: Used when someone is dishonest in a romantic relationship.

2. Play dirty

Meaning: To cheat or act unfairly to win
Example Sentence:
• The team played dirty by breaking the rules to win.
• He always plays dirty when he’s losing a game.
Other ways to say: Cheat, bend the rules
Fun Fact/Origin: “Play dirty” started in sports to describe unfair moves.
Usage: Used when someone cheats or acts unfairly in competition.

3. Pull a fast one

Meaning: To trick or cheat someone
Example Sentence:
• He pulled a fast one by sneaking an extra candy.
• She pulled a fast one on her brother during the card game.
Other ways to say: Trick, fool
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase became popular in the 1900s and is often used in games or business.
Usage: Used when someone does something sneaky or dishonest quickly.

4. Bend the rules

Meaning: To not follow the rules exactly
Example Sentence:
• He bent the rules to win the race.
• She bent the rules to get out of homework.
Other ways to say: Cheat a little, stretch the truth
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from the idea of making rules flexible like bending a stick.
Usage: Used when someone cheats in a small or tricky way.

5. Cook the books

Meaning: To cheat by changing numbers or records
Example Sentence:
• The store owner cooked the books to hide the missing money.
• He got in trouble for cooking the books at work.
Other ways to say: Fake records, lie about money
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom comes from changing financial records like cooking a recipe.
Usage: Used when someone lies about money or records.

6. Cheat sheet

Meaning: A small paper with answers used to cheat on a test
Example Sentence:
• He was caught using a cheat sheet during the math quiz.
• She hid a cheat sheet in her sleeve.
Other ways to say: Answer key, secret notes
Fun Fact/Origin: This term is also used in a good way to mean a quick guide to help remember things.
Usage: Used in schools when someone cheats during a test.

7. On the sly

Meaning: Doing something secretly, usually wrong
Example Sentence:
• He took extra snacks on the sly.
• She read the answers on the sly during the test.
Other ways to say: Secretly, quietly
Fun Fact/Origin: “Sly” means sneaky or clever in a tricky way.
Usage: Used when someone does something dishonest in secret.

8. Break the rules

Meaning: To not follow the rules
Example Sentence:
• He broke the rules by looking at his friend’s paper.
• She broke the rules by starting early.
Other ways to say: Disobey, cheat
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in games, sports, or school.
Usage: Used when someone doesn’t follow the rules to get ahead.

9. Under the table

Meaning: Secretly and usually dishonestly
Example Sentence:
• He got paid under the table to avoid taxes.
• She took the prize under the table without winning.
Other ways to say: In secret, illegally
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from passing things under the table to hide them.
Usage: Used when someone does something secretly and not honestly.

10. Lie through your teeth

Meaning: To tell a big lie
Example Sentence:
• He lied through his teeth about finishing his homework.
• She lied through her teeth when asked if she cheated.
Other ways to say: Tell a bold lie, be dishonest
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom shows how clearly someone is lying, like it’s visible in their teeth.
Usage: Used when someone lies and doesn’t even try to hide it.

11. Take a shortcut

Meaning: To cheat by skipping part of the work
Example Sentence:
• He took a shortcut by copying his friend’s answers.
• She took a shortcut instead of studying for the test.
Other ways to say: Cut corners, skip steps
Fun Fact/Origin: Originally used for paths that are quicker but not always allowed.
Usage: Used when someone avoids doing all the work to gain an advantage.

12. Fudge the numbers

Meaning: To change numbers dishonestly
Example Sentence:
• He fudged the numbers to get a better score.
• She fudged the numbers on her budget.
Other ways to say: Change facts, cheat on math
Fun Fact/Origin: “Fudge” was once used to mean nonsense or lies.
Usage: Used when people change numbers to hide the truth.

13. Rig the game

Meaning: To set things up unfairly to win
Example Sentence:
• He rigged the game by moving the pieces when no one looked.
• The contest was rigged so his friend would win.
Other ways to say: Fix the result, cheat to win
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from changing a game setup to make sure someone wins.
Usage: Used when someone makes sure the result is not fair.

14. Pull strings

Meaning: To use secret power or tricks to get what you want
Example Sentence:
• He pulled some strings to get out of trouble.
• She pulled strings to win the contest.
Other ways to say: Use power, cheat by influence
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of puppets being controlled by strings.
Usage: Used when someone uses unfair ways to get ahead.

15. Blow the whistle

Meaning: To tell on someone who is cheating
Example Sentence:
• She blew the whistle when she saw someone cheat.
• He didn’t want to blow the whistle on his friend.
Other ways to say: Report, tell the truth
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from referees blowing a whistle in sports to stop unfair play.
Usage: Used when someone tells others about cheating.

16. Grease someone’s palm

Meaning: To secretly pay someone to cheat or help
Example Sentence:
• He greased the guard’s palm to sneak in.
• She greased someone’s palm to win the vote.
Other ways to say: Bribe, pay off
Fun Fact/Origin: Grease means oil, and palms are hands. It means slipping money into someone’s hand.
Usage: Used when someone pays for unfair help.

17. Cut corners

Meaning: To skip steps to finish faster, often by cheating
Example Sentence:
• He cut corners on the project and got in trouble.
• She cut corners to finish her homework early.
Other ways to say: Skip steps, cheat
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from skipping corners on a path or a job to save time.
Usage: Used when someone avoids doing all the work.

18. Have an ace up your sleeve

Meaning: To hide a secret plan or trick
Example Sentence:
• He had an ace up his sleeve during the card game.
• She won because she had an ace up her sleeve.
Other ways to say: Keep a secret trick, have an advantage
Fun Fact/Origin: From card games, where players might hide an ace in their sleeve to cheat.
Usage: Used when someone is secretly cheating or planning a trick.

19. Skim off the top

Meaning: To secretly take a little bit for yourself
Example Sentence:
• He skimmed off the top of the lunch money.
• She got caught skimming off the top at work.
Other ways to say: Steal a little, take secretly
Fun Fact/Origin: Skimming means taking the top layer—used here to mean small secret theft.
Usage: Used when someone cheats by secretly keeping part of something.

20. Cry wolf

Meaning: To lie so often that no one believes you
Example Sentence:
• He cried wolf so much that no one believed him.
• She cried wolf about cheating and got ignored.
Other ways to say: Tell false alarms, lie
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from an old story where a boy lied about a wolf until no one believed him.
Usage: Used when someone lies a lot and loses trust.

21. Fishy behavior

Meaning: Something that seems sneaky or dishonest
Example Sentence:
• His actions during the test were fishy.
• It was fishy that she finished so quickly.
Other ways to say: Suspicious, not right
Fun Fact/Origin: “Fishy” has been used since the 1800s to describe something that smells wrong, like a lie.
Usage: Used when something doesn’t seem honest.

22. Play the system

Meaning: To find tricky ways to get around the rules
Example Sentence:
• He played the system to get extra points.
• She played the system and skipped the line.
Other ways to say: Trick the rules, cheat
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom started when people found ways to bend rules to win.
Usage: Used when someone cheats in a clever way.

23. Fix the outcome

Meaning: To make sure the result is what you want, unfairly
Example Sentence:
• They fixed the outcome so their team would win.
• He fixed the outcome by making a secret deal.
Other ways to say: Rig the result, cheat the system
Fun Fact/Origin: “Fix” used to mean setting something up—now used for unfair setups.
Usage: Used when someone makes the end unfair.

24. Turn a blind eye

Meaning: To pretend not to see someone cheating
Example Sentence:
• The teacher turned a blind eye when the student peeked.
• He turned a blind eye to his friend’s cheating.
Other ways to say: Ignore, look away
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from a story of a man who pretended to be blind in one eye during war.
Usage: Used when someone sees cheating but doesn’t stop it.

25. Lead someone on

Meaning: To lie or trick someone into believing something false
Example Sentence:
• He led her on and said he didn’t cheat.
• She was led on to think everything was fine.
Other ways to say: Mislead, lie to
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom is common in relationships or tricks.
Usage: Used when someone gives false hope or lies.

26. Fast talker

Meaning: Someone who lies or cheats with clever words
Example Sentence:
• He’s a fast talker who always gets out of trouble.
• She used fast talking to cheat her way through.
Other ways to say: Smooth liar, tricky speaker
Fun Fact/Origin: Fast talkers speak quickly to confuse or trick people.
Usage: Used when someone cheats using clever words.

27. Take for a ride

Meaning: To trick or cheat someone
Example Sentence:
• He took me for a ride and stole my money.
• She got taken for a ride in the contest.
Other ways to say: Trick, fool
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from giving someone a fake ride and leaving them far away.
Usage: Used when someone is badly tricked.

28. Fake it

Meaning: To pretend to do something honestly when you are not
Example Sentence:
• He faked it during the group project.
• She faked knowing the answers on the test.
Other ways to say: Pretend, act
Fun Fact/Origin: “Fake” comes from old English, meaning to make something look real when it’s not.
Usage: Used when someone is not honest about what they know or do.

29. Get off the hook

Meaning: To avoid trouble after cheating
Example Sentence:
• He got off the hook even though he cheated.
• She didn’t get punished and got off the hook.
Other ways to say: Escape trouble, avoid blame
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from fishing, when a fish escapes the hook.
Usage: Used when someone cheats and doesn’t get caught.

30. Beat the system

Meaning: To find ways to cheat rules and still win
Example Sentence:
• He beat the system to get more snacks.
• She beat the system to skip homework.
Other ways to say: Trick the rules, cheat smart
Fun Fact/Origin: “Beat” means to win, even when it’s unfair.
Usage: Used when someone finds a way to win by cheating.

31. Shady deal

Meaning: A dishonest or sneaky plan
Example Sentence:
• That was a shady deal during the contest.
• They made a shady deal behind the teacher’s back.
Other ways to say: Secret trick, sneaky plan
Fun Fact/Origin: “Shady” means dark or hidden, like something not to be trusted.
Usage: Used when a plan is dishonest or sneaky.

32. Pull the wool over someone’s eyes

Meaning: To trick someone so they don’t see the truth
Example Sentence:
• He pulled the wool over the teacher’s eyes.
• She pulled the wool over her friend’s eyes to hide her cheating.
Other ways to say: Fool, lie
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom came from old days when people wore wool wigs and couldn’t see well.
Usage: Used when someone is fooled or tricked.

33. Cook up a story

Meaning: To make up a fake reason or lie
Example Sentence:
• He cooked up a story to explain his test answers.
• She cooked up a story about why she didn’t do homework.
Other ways to say: Make up a lie, invent a reason
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from cooking—mixing ingredients like you mix a lie.
Usage: Used when someone creates a lie to cover up cheating.

34. Tell tales

Meaning: To tell lies or false stories
Example Sentence:
• He told tales about not cheating.
• She told tales to cover for her friends.
Other ways to say: Lie, fib
Fun Fact/Origin: “Tale” means story, and in this idiom it means a false one.
Usage: Used when someone lies, especially about cheating.

35. Be on the take

Meaning: To accept bribes or dishonest rewards
Example Sentence:
• The ref was on the take during the game.
• He was on the take and let cheating slide.
Other ways to say: Take bribes, be dishonest
Fun Fact/Origin: “On the take” means receiving money secretly for doing something wrong.
Usage: Used when someone gets money or reward for cheating.

Quiz: Idioms About Cheating

Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.

Question Key

1. What does “two-time” mean?

A) To study twice a day
B) To cheat on someone in a relationship
C) To do the same thing two times

2. If someone “pulls a fast one,” what are they doing?

A) Moving very quickly
B) Playing a trick or cheating
C) Cleaning up fast

3. What does it mean to “bend the rules”?

A) To break or change the rules a little
B) To make new rules
C) To follow every rule

4. If a person “plays dirty,” what are they doing?

A) They play outside
B) They don’t follow the rules and cheat
C) They wear messy clothes

5. What does “have an ace up your sleeve” mean?

A) Hide a card in your clothes
B) Have a secret advantage or trick
C) Wear a cool outfit

6. What does “cut corners” mean?

A) Take the long path
B) Walk in a square
C) Skip steps to do something faster or easier

7. If someone “turns a blind eye,” what are they doing?

A) Closing their eyes to sleep
B) Pretending not to see someone cheating
C) Wearing glasses

8. What does “on the sly” mean?

A) Doing something in the sky
B) Doing something secretly, often wrong
C) Flying a kite

9. If someone is “on the take,” what are they doing?

A) Taking pictures
B) Taking a test
C) Taking money for something dishonest

10. What does “cook the books” mean?

A) Make a book in the kitchen
B) Read a lot of books
C) Change numbers or records to cheat

Answer Key

  1. B – To cheat on someone in a relationship
  2. B – Playing a trick or cheating
  3. A – To break or change the rules a little
  4. B – They don’t follow the rules and cheat
  5. B – Have a secret advantage or trick
  6. C – Skip steps to do something faster or easier
  7. B – Pretending not to see someone cheating
  8. B – Doing something secretly, often wrong
  9. C – Taking money for something dishonest
  10. C – Change numbers or records to cheat

Wrapping Up

Cheating is never the right way to win or get ahead. These idioms help us understand how people talk about dishonest actions. From school tests to sports, cheating can happen anywhere. But learning these phrases helps us spot it and speak about it clearly. Now that you know these idioms, you can use them to describe tricky situations better. Being honest is always the smarter path.

👉 Want to understand what idioms really are? Visit our complete guide to idioms. Or see all idiom articles.
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Ben Donovan

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