fraudulent

adjective

fraud·​u·​lent ˈfrȯ-jə-lənt 

: characterized by, based on, or done by fraud : deceitful

fraudulent use of a credit card

fraudulent claims for unemployment compensation

—Wall Street Journal

fraudulently adverb

fraudulentness noun

Synonyms of fraudulent

• dishonest
• false
• deceptive

Examples of fraudulent in a Sentence

Corrupt leaders were chosen in a fraudulent election.

fraudulent use of a credit card

the victim of a fraudulent scheme

Recent Examples on the Web

Mind you, Miss Manners agrees with your indignation at this fraudulent maneuver. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 21 July 2026

The first involves fraudulent FBI profiles and fake pages on social media sites, luring victims to the cloned IC3 sites, but with a twist. — Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

In December 2019, Cobbins worked with Quanisha Capelton to obtain a fraudulent driver’s license using Capelton’s photo and another individual’s personal information. — Alexa Newsom, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026

Among the defendants is Yoskmaikel Rodriguez Perez, a Cuban native who prosecutors said submitted more than $886,000 in fraudulent Medicare claims before becoming a citizen in 2018. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

fraudulent

adjective

fraud·​u·​lent ˈfrȯ-jə-lənt 

: based on or done by fraud

fraudulently adverb

fraudulentness noun

Legal Definition

fraudulent

adjective

fraud·​u·​lent

: characterized by, based on, or done by fraud compare deceptive, false, misleading

fraudulently adverb