defraud

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb defraud contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of defraud are cheat, cozen, and swindle. While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," 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

When might cheat be a better fit than defraud?

While in some cases nearly identical to defraud, cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

When would cozen be a good substitute for defraud?

The words cozen and defraud can be used in similar contexts, but cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose.

always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

Where would swindle be a reasonable alternative to defraud?

In some situations, the words swindle and defraud are roughly equivalent. However, swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence.

swindled of their savings by con artists

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 defraud Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a consumer alert April 8 to warn residents about scammers using bitcoin ATMs to defraud consumers. Susan Tompor, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025 Welch faces up to 20 years in prison FAYETTEVILLE -- Two Florida residents who previously lived and ran a business in Northwest Arkansas pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to charges related to defrauding a federal pandemic relief program. Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 28 Apr. 2025 Federal prosecutors say the former congressman exaggerated or fabricated large parts of his backstory to defraud voters and donors in New York's 3rd Congressional District. Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2025 Adeline Ngan-Binh Bui, 50, was charged with one count of state-jail felony abuse of a corpse and five counts of second-degree felony tampering with governmental records with intent to defraud or harm. Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for defraud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defraud
Verb
  • Disgruntled attendees, many of them authors, said they felt cheated by event organizers, who failed to deliver on most, if not all fronts.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 7 May 2025
  • In their stories about others, 92% chronicled how misfortune befell cheating partners, indebted friends, bullies and lousy coworkers.
    Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Custom Container Living View 8 Images Custom Container Living has transformed a shipping container into an ultra-compact tiny house that squeezes a home for two into just 160 sq ft (14.8 sq m).
    Adam Williams May 08, New Atlas, 8 May 2025
  • Auto dealers, squeezed by President Donald Trump’s tariffs on the industry, are already seeing a tighter supply of vehicles to offer buyers at a time when sticker prices for many models are set to climb. Pine Belt Subaru in Lakewood, New Jersey, normally receives 100 to 120 cars a month.
    Brian Cheung, NBC news, 7 May 2025
Verb
  • Adams plucked out Shakespeare’s lines and mounted them like gems in a finely wrought score.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 13 May 2025
  • Companies are still developing mining vehicles, but one method would be to use large tractor-sized machines that drive across the sea floor plucking up nodules and transporting them via long pipes to a ship on the surface.
    Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • The two hustled off to the airport Friday morning to meet with donors in Southern California.
    Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 11 May 2025
  • Ellie hustles Dina into the nearest building, but her efforts to secure the formerly posh music venue is interrupted by a shaky Dina holding a gun on her.
    Sara Netzley, EW.com, 5 May 2025
Verb
  • Suarez is getting stung here and there, but the last two rounds the challenger is landing a bit cleaner.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
  • Democrats — stung by a 2024 election that turned in part on economic concerns — touted their commitment to lowering costs as the legislature returned to work in January.
    Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • That hasn’t stopped Liverpool using him to distract and deceive opponents when free kicks are won, however.
    Gregg Evans, New York Times, 8 May 2025
  • She was also found guilty of deceiving other officials about the man's identity.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
Verb
  • Federal prosecutors charged more than two dozen Canadian nationals in a massive scam that bilked more than $21 million from elderly people in more than 40 U.S. states.
    Michael Loria, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Mark Measures, a longtime talent agent, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of bilking 160 actors out of $1.8 million.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Ozer swindled $207,100 from that project, falsifying bank records and forging correspondence from another producer to cover his tracks, officials said.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 6 May 2025
  • Nacho is a trans man who was arrested for swindling and started a rock band in jail.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Defraud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defraud. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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