as in cheating
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
an investigation revealed that the garage had been bilking motorists for repairs that had never been made
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Recent Examples of bilking
He's been known in recent months for leading a series of fraud prosecutions that ensnared over 90 defendants accused of bilking Minnesota's public assistance programs.
—
Joe Walsh, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Yassin and Stevens are the first drivers to face any criminal repercussions for allegedly bilking the program.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Former Jackson Health Foundation COO Charmaine Gatlin pled guilty to bilking millions in charity funds.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
Holmes was convicted in 2022 of four counts of felony fraud for bilking investors in her now-defunct Palo Alto blood-testing startup out of hundreds of millions of dollars via false claims about the technology.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
After investigating, the agency arrested eight people for rigging the game by controlling the distribution of the high prize pieces into circulation, bilking more than $20 million from the fast food chain.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Joe Walsh, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Yassin and Stevens are the first drivers to face any criminal repercussions for allegedly bilking the program.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Former Jackson Health Foundation COO Charmaine Gatlin pled guilty to bilking millions in charity funds.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
Holmes was convicted in 2022 of four counts of felony fraud for bilking investors in her now-defunct Palo Alto blood-testing startup out of hundreds of millions of dollars via false claims about the technology.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
After investigating, the agency arrested eight people for rigging the game by controlling the distribution of the high prize pieces into circulation, bilking more than $20 million from the fast food chain.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bilking
Verb
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The Swedish team accused Canada of cheating, specifically reporting that Canada’s Marc Kennedy was illegally touching his stone.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
21 Feb. 2026
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The state has intervened in districts for reasons such as fiscal mismanagement, cheating scandals and consistently failing academic performance at a campus.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The fall was aided by the cooling prices of gasoline, eggs, and beef, but rising costs for consumer goods like apparel, computers, and airfares suggest tariffs are still squeezing household budgets.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
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Instead, 2026 is about building both stylish and sensible outfits that can take you from the airport to the streets with maximum versatility without ever squeezing into tight, form-fitting fabric.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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How does Mick Cronin survive this, sending his own player off the court after hustling hard on defense to get a piece of the ball but unfortunately too much contact and drew a foul.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
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If out of work, hustling this week and next could open doors.—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Archive footage viewed on old VHS tapes and Super-8 film reveals that Cook was a talented and charismatic musician, plucking away at his Gibson while singing blues standards or original material.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
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Broten remembers Pavelich plucking his guitar and singing Neil Young songs on bus rides.—
Stephen Whyno,
Twin Cities,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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An official with the Long Island Rail Road used his position as an assistant chief program officer to land his son in a job with railroad contractors, the MTA Inspector General said in a stinging report Wednesday.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The surrender also included a stinging lesson in the nuances of diplomacy.—
Christopher Magra,
The Conversation,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nevertheless, on a clear if cold day the three walked through several inches of snow, screwing in the new signs.—
Jesse Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
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Cattano suggests screwing mug hooks into the bottom of kitchen cabinets to utilize that space between the cupboards and the countertops.—
Bridget Reed Morawski,
Architectural Digest,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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During the six years, prosecutors said, the pair used their positions to capitalize on a racketeering enterprise defrauding the state, IRS and union members.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
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Sanberg pleaded guilty in October to defrauding investors of $248 million.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As Torquay’s women’s team were beating Gloucester on Sunday, commenters left sarcastic replies under the club’s social media updates.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Bane ballin’ Bane capped off a seven-point first quarter by beating the buzzer with a step-back 3-pointer.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bilking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bilking. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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