social engineering
noun
1
: management of human beings in accordance with their place and function in society : applied social science
2
: social methods (such as phishing) that are used to obtain personal or confidential information which can then be used illicitly
The previously noted trend of switching from social engineering to hacking methods in attacks on organizations strengthened …—
San Fernando Valley (California) Business Journal
San Fernando Valley (California) Business Journal
social engineer
noun
plural social engineers
Examples of social engineering in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Unlike other crimes that use hacking or social engineering scams to access victims’ funds remotely, wrench attacks rely on more brutish methods of coercion like kidnapping and torture.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The pair offered security-first solutions applicable to a wide range of online platforms that may prevent fraudsters from using tactics like phishing or social engineering to trick people into connecting to their devices or gaining access to their bank or email accounts.
—Kim Key, PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Lapsus$, by contrast, is an older hacking group, known for social engineering and phishing attacks that focus on stealing user log-in credentials and then using those credentials to gain access to and steal sensitive data.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
This antisemitic social engineering used letters of recommendation, personal interviews and legacy preferences to downgrade the applications of Jewish applicants, effectively suppressing their admission.
—David Blobaum, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
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Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The pair offered security-first solutions applicable to a wide range of online platforms that may prevent fraudsters from using tactics like phishing or social engineering to trick people into connecting to their devices or gaining access to their bank or email accounts.
—Kim Key, PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Lapsus$, by contrast, is an older hacking group, known for social engineering and phishing attacks that focus on stealing user log-in credentials and then using those credentials to gain access to and steal sensitive data.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
This antisemitic social engineering used letters of recommendation, personal interviews and legacy preferences to downgrade the applications of Jewish applicants, effectively suppressing their admission.
—David Blobaum, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for social engineering
Cite this Entry
“Social engineering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20engineering. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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