defraud

verb

de·​fraud di-ˈfrȯd How to pronounce defraud (audio)
dē-
defrauded; defrauding; defrauds

transitive verb

: to deprive of something by deception or fraud
trying to defraud the public
Investors in the scheme were defrauded of their life savings.
defrauder noun
Choose the Right Synonym for defraud

cheat, cozen, defraud, swindle mean to get something by dishonesty or deception.

cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose.

always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

defraud stresses depriving one of his or her rights and usually connotes deliberate perversion of the truth.

defrauded of her inheritance by an unscrupulous lawyer

swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence.

swindled of their savings by con artists

Examples of defraud in a Sentence

They were accused of trying to defraud the public. They conspired to defraud the government. She was convicted of writing bad checks with intent to defraud.
Recent Examples on the Web Now Osipov, the alleged manager of Vekselberg’s $90 million yacht, is attempting a similar argument as U.S. authorities seek his arrest on charges of bank fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and violations of sanctions law. Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 The accidents led to a $2.5 billion settlement with the Justice Department to resolve a criminal charge related to a conspiracy to defraud the FAA. Alicia Diaz, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2024 Among them, a former co-owner, vice president and general manager of the compounding pharmacy, who was convicted in 2018 of conspiring to defraud the United States and sentenced to one year in prison and one year of supervised release, CNN has reported. Sabrina Souza, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 Mesa police’s organized crime unit was critical to a months-long Internal Revenue Service investigation that led to the arrest of a New River couple who were charged with defrauding the state's Medicaid system and laundering the proceeds. Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 The indictment unsealed charged Trump with conspiring to defraud the United States. Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2024 Self-checkout switcheroos involving roof coating and floor patch allowed three men from Miami, Miami Beach and Orlando to defraud Home Depot stores in 10 Florida counties of $101,773, according to state investigators. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 Two men defrauded more than $1 million from a concert promoter by impersonating Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Post Malone on performance contracts, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2024 For Stewart, the money defrauded was not the concern; rather, the safety of the people caught up in the swindle was her priority. The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defraud.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French defrauder, from Latin defraudare, from de- + fraudare to cheat, from fraud-, fraus fraud

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defraud was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near defraud

Cite this Entry

“Defraud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defraud. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

defraud

verb
de·​fraud di-ˈfrȯd How to pronounce defraud (audio)
: to deprive of something by trickery, deception, or fraud
defrauder noun

Legal Definition

defraud

transitive verb
de·​fraud di-ˈfrȯd How to pronounce defraud (audio)
: to deprive of something by fraud
defrauder noun

More from Merriam-Webster on defraud

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!