Synonyms of defraud

defraud

verb

di-ˈfrȯd 

as in to cheat

to rob by the use of trickery or threats

senior citizens generally were too smart to fall for the fast-talking salesman's attempts to defraud them

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cheat
• squeeze
• pluck
• hustle
• sting
• deceive
• bilk
• swindle
• screw
• victimize
• beat
• stick
• do
• shortchange
• mulct
• bleed
• exploit
• cozen
• trick
• diddle
• con
• fleece
• nobble
• shake down
• flimflam
• chouse
• betray
• rip off
• sucker
• chisel
• skin
• euchre
• extort
• fiddle
• fool
• ream
• rook
• short
• stiff
• gaff
• do in
• hose
• take for a ride
• take to the cleaners
• thimblerig
• skunk
• sell a bill of goods to
• gouge
• overcharge
• wrench
• wring
• dupe
• wrest
• clip
• nick
• soak
• milk
• bamboozle
• gull
• rope (in)
• double-cross
• bitch
• fast-talk

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb defraud contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of defraud are cheat, cozen, and swindle. While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," 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

When might cheat be a better fit than defraud?

While in some cases nearly identical to defraud, cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

When would cozen be a good substitute for defraud?

The words cozen and defraud can be used in similar contexts, but cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose.

always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

Where would swindle be a reasonable alternative to defraud?

In some situations, the words swindle and defraud are roughly equivalent. However, swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence.

swindled of their savings by con artists

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of defraud

According to prosecutors, Sean McManus and Jason Schrock led a statewide scheme from 2016 to 2019 to defraud the state of $400 million, spending $50 million in public money for personal use. —Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026

The former Loretto Hospital executive accused of defrauding the federal government out of $290 million has been arrested in Serbia. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026

He was sentenced to eight years behind bars for that and a scheme to defraud the city of Antioch by cheating on college tests to receive an educational incentive pay raise. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026

In 2022, during the Biden administration, federal prosecutors uncovered a scheme to defraud a pandemic meals program in Minnesota’s Somali community, leading to charges against dozens of defendants and a growing number of convictions. —Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 24 Jan. 2026