# cheat

> English word · Verb · IPA /t͡ʃiːt/ · frequency rank #6,446

## Definitions
1. To violate rules in order to gain, or attempt to gain, advantage from a situation.
2. To be unfaithful to one's spouse or partner; to commit adultery, or to engage in sexual or romantic conduct with a person other than one's partner in contravention of the rules of society or agreement in the relationship.
3. To avoid a seemingly inevitable thing.
4. To deceive; to fool; to trick.
5. To disregard self-imposed restrictions or commitments in favour of resting or indulging oneself.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English acheten, variant of escheten, from Old French escheoiter, from the noun (see below). Displaced native Old English beswīcan.

## Easily confused with
- **coat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-coat)
- **chef** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chef)
- **Chen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chen)
- **chew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chew)
- **chem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chem)
- **Cher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-cher)
- **Chet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chet)
- **chia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chia)
- **chit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chit)
- **chez** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chez)
- **chee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chee)
- **Chua** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chua)
- **check** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-check)
- **clear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-clear)
- **clean** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-clean)
- **cream** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-cream)
- **chest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chest)
- **cheer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-cheer)
- **cheek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-cheek)
- **chess** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cheat-vs-chess)

## Common misspellings (7)
`ccheat`, `cehat`, `chaet`, `cheatt`, `cheta`, `chheat`, `hceat`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cheat