bilked

past tense of bilk

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bilked Jason Cloth, a film producer with dozens of credits including Joker, Longlegs and Babylon, is facing numerous federal fraud charges and decades in prison in connection with a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors of more than $100 million. Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 29 July 2026 Federal prosecutors allege Eidleh was the mastermind who bilked taxpayers out of $250 million by exploiting federal child nutrition programs meant to feed vulnerable children. Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 16 July 2026 The Justice Department said that the disgraced former executive bilked the museum out of the money by altering invoices and approving transactions for personal purchases. News Desk, Artforum, 14 July 2026 Lawmakers have griped for decades that defense contractors have bilked the federal government on lucrative projects that run over budget and over schedule. Garrett Downs, CNBC, 14 July 2026 Multiple scams over the course of three days bilked Washington state residents out of more than $670,000, according to a Facebook post from the local sheriff’s office. Drew Pittock, USA Today, 5 July 2026 Twenty-one people are facing charges as part of a massive hospice fraud scheme that prosecutors say bilked California’s medical system out of $267 million. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026 In total, prosecutors say the fraud scheme bilked the program out of more than $250 million. Wcco Staff, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026 Meanwhile, California continued blowing money on a high-speed rail project that is years behind schedule and billions over budget, was bilked for billions in fraud, and funded an anti-homelessness bureaucracy with no accountability, among other things. Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bilked
Verb
  • Bo told Lu that if the audit produced evidence that he had been cheated, Wang should go to prison.
    Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • In one case, several systems worked on a problem in parallel, one cheated outright, and the system assigned to summarize their work did not flag it.
    Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Doubs plucked the ball over Gonzalez, who had successfully backed him near the boundary but couldn’t box out the 6-foot-2 receiver entirely.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The bass player plucked each of his instrument’s four strings, one at a time, while turning the corresponding tuning pegs.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The over-all technical director, Oscar Lopez, whose day job entails managing events at Resorts World, hustled crews carefully among setups and sites.
    Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • During a break Saturday, Freeling hustled home and caught two episodes before returning to the hotel where the rookies and younger players stay during camp ahead of curfew.
    Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Verb
  • The pair were stung more than 150 times each and airlifted to the hospital.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The lionfish's poisonous spikes can badly hurt anyone who’s stung.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • But attorneys and housing advocates who work with struggling homeowners say household budgets are being squeezed from several directions.
    Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Io is repeatedly squeezed and stretched by Jupiter and the gravitational pulls of neighboring moons Europa and Ganymede.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Between 2019 and 2023, FBI Director Kash Patel explained during the news conference, the scheme defrauded over 6,000 Americans to the tune of $400 million.
    Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Some immigrants requested more time before their next hearings, presenting evidence of having been defrauded by unscrupulous attorneys profiled in local news reports.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Because we've been screwed by tariffs used against us for years.
    Tiago Ventura, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The strength would be identical even though the four 2x6s are not glued or screwed together.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • While the men whom Chen allegedly swindled began to grow suspicious of her actions around 2024, the Clark County Marriage Bureau reported her to the police, resulting in the launch of an investigation around the same time.
    Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
  • Aller swindled deal after deal on 2022 draft night, garnering future draft picks and getting off enough salary to sign Brunson and more.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 26 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bilked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bilked. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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