Cheat

Cheat is a verb meaning to gain an unfair advantage by deceiving or breaking rules. It also serves as a noun for a person who cheats, or for an act of cheating. In everyday language, cheat appears in phrases such as cheat sheet, a brief note used for reference, and game cheats or cheat codes in video games.

Academic cheating includes plagiarism, fabrication of data, and unauthorized collaboration. Institutions define it in policies and may impose penalties from warnings to failure or expulsion. Detection relies on plagiarism checkers, audits, and supervision during tests.

In sports and competitive settings, cheating covers doping, match fixing, and rule violations. In video games, players may use exploits, third-party programs, or bots to gain unfair advantage; some games provide official shortcuts, while others enforce bans or penalties.

Cheating in personal relationships usually refers to infidelity, violating trust and commitments. Consequences can include emotional harm, damaged reputations, and relationship dissolution.

Ethics of cheating center on fairness and integrity. Societal rules, professional codes, and policy enforcement seek to deter cheating through education, accountability, and sanctions.