as in fraudulent
marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
every new technology has brought with it a raft of defrauding schemes that make full use of it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in swindling
Related Words
as in cheating
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of defrauding
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
15 Dec. 2025
And what could be more legitimate of a cause for removing a governor of the nation's central bank—which is, among other things, the lender of last resort to the country's financial institutions—than the alleged defrauding of those very financial institutions?
—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Riley Moser,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
In a scandal that rocked the business, Davis was fired from Columbia in May 1973, accused of defrauding the company of $94,000 in expense-account violations, including paying for his son Fred’s bar mitzvah and a renovation of his apartment.
—
Jennifer Frederick,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
The Cambodian government's recent crackdown has enabled reporters to get a closer look at an industry responsible for defrauding Americans of at least 20 billion dollars in 2025.
—
NPR,
21 June 2026
The plea agreement reasserts that Lillig engaged in a years-long scheme, but only includes details of one instance of Lillig defrauding the church of $500.
—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
In both cases, according to affidavits filed in Osceola County court, they are accused of defrauding the ChampionsGate Community Development District, which hired them to provide law enforcement services and paid them through their personal corporations.
—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
More recently, the Department of Justice charged the Southern Poverty Law Center — a civil rights nonprofit accused by Republicans of targeting conservatives in its work tracking extremists — with defrauding donors through payments to informants.
—
James Pollard,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Last year, she was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for defrauding the bank by overstating the number of customers Frank had.
—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
14 June 2026
Kingston is now in prison serving a 42-month sentence after he was convicted of defrauding multiple vendors out of more than $1 million in luxury items ranging from high-end watches to a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade.
—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
Noun
Her defrauding of the Foundation, however, surpassed that figure as FBI agents dug deeper into her theft.
—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
15 Dec. 2025
And what could be more legitimate of a cause for removing a governor of the nation's central bank—which is, among other things, the lender of last resort to the country's financial institutions—than the alleged defrauding of those very financial institutions?
—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
Of those, eight were accused of defrauding the Housing Stabilization Services program, which the Minnesota Department of Human Services shut down last year over fraud concerns.
—
Riley Moser,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
In a scandal that rocked the business, Davis was fired from Columbia in May 1973, accused of defrauding the company of $94,000 in expense-account violations, including paying for his son Fred’s bar mitzvah and a renovation of his apartment.
—
Jennifer Frederick,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
The Cambodian government's recent crackdown has enabled reporters to get a closer look at an industry responsible for defrauding Americans of at least 20 billion dollars in 2025.
—
NPR,
21 June 2026
The plea agreement reasserts that Lillig engaged in a years-long scheme, but only includes details of one instance of Lillig defrauding the church of $500.
—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
In both cases, according to affidavits filed in Osceola County court, they are accused of defrauding the ChampionsGate Community Development District, which hired them to provide law enforcement services and paid them through their personal corporations.
—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
More recently, the Department of Justice charged the Southern Poverty Law Center — a civil rights nonprofit accused by Republicans of targeting conservatives in its work tracking extremists — with defrauding donors through payments to informants.
—
James Pollard,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Last year, she was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for defrauding the bank by overstating the number of customers Frank had.
—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
14 June 2026
Kingston is now in prison serving a 42-month sentence after he was convicted of defrauding multiple vendors out of more than $1 million in luxury items ranging from high-end watches to a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade.
—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defrauding
Adjective
-
Representing Daniell, attorney Chris Timmons said the lawsuit centers on what his client alleges was a fraudulent transfer of the property's ownership.
-
Thomas and Ballard showed authorities fraudulent credentials to an unrelated sporting event, the affidavit said.
Noun
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Her lawyers, Giuseppe Iannaccone and Marcello Bana, have denied there was a case of grand larceny, which would include fraud and swindling.
Verb
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Either way, Angela’s slip is definitely showing in terms of behind-the-scenes messiness (seriously, enough is enough with the cheating stories!
-
Everybody says Democrats are cheating!
Adjective
-
For millions of individuals and businesses who rely on professional preparers, the answer portends a frightening prospect if the return preparer is dishonest.
-
Her attorneys contend the defendants used the litigation to portray her as dishonest, intimidate potential witnesses, fuel a public relations campaign against her and drive up the cost of her legal defense.
Verb
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Of course, attempts to get more revenue out of taxpayers would carry political risks, but voters have been open to squeezing the wealthy.
-
Coach Spencer Carbery has done a masterful job of both squeezing what’s left out of the franchise’s best-ever player — Ovechkin led the Caps in both goals (32) and points (64) in 2025-26 — while simultaneously masking the deficiencies that come with age.
Adjective
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Nadi Jabari, 46, was charged with false personation, unlawful use of a blue light and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
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Back when King was indicted in the summer of 2025, about 200 of them gathered in a Cleburne conference hall to make plans about how to support the sheriff, and decried the allegations against him as false attacks on King’s character.
Verb
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Langford was injured during Friday’s game after hustling on a double.
-
Letting go of the idea that success requires hustling at all costs — and replacing it with goals that feel attainable — can help founders shift toward a more sustainable approach, one where progress doesn't come at the cost of their well-being.
Verb
-
As with the studio version, the track began with Lifeson plucking out a delicate intro on a nylon-string guitar before blasting into monster electric riffs.
-
Vogue’s beauty shopping editor Kiana Murden became a devotee after plucking it from the beauty closet and using it religiously.
Cite this Entry
“Defrauding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defrauding. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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