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

Tashia McKenzie, 36, faces one count each of fraudulent claim or receipt of benefits and second-degree larceny, the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice said in a news release Tuesday. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026

Verification can be particularly important because fraudulent job listings have become a concern for applicants and job platforms alike. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Republican response But conservatives said those policies inflated enrollment by attracting fraudulent and wasteful coverage. — Christine Mai-Duc, NPR, 23 Aug. 2026

Currently, no applications are being accepted, and travelers should be wary of fraudulent sites. — Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 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