defraud

verb

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The suit says that in May 2013, Jane Doe opened a bank account at Bank of America at the direction of Epstein’s accountant, Richard Kahn and an immigration attorney as part of a plan to defraud immigration officials. Dan Mangan, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026 Holmes qualified for the reduced term under a 2023 rule change allowing first-time offenders to do less time for some non-violent crimes, according to an order issued Thursday by the federal judge who sentenced her in 2022 for defrauding investors in her blood-testing startup. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026 In December 2025, YouTuber Nick Shirley posted a video claiming child care centers run by Somalians in Minnesota had defrauded the state government of more than $110 million through this program. Jess Huff, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026 The 90-year-old former Bond girl told Swiss newspaper Blick in January that she had been defrauded out of 18 million Swiss francs, approximately 20 million euros, by her longtime financial adviser over an eight-year period. ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for defraud

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Defraud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defraud. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

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

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