as in cheated
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
Relevance
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 defrauded
In December 2025, YouTuber Nick Shirley posted a video claiming child care centers run by Somalians in Minnesota had defrauded the state government of more than $110 million through this program.
—
Jess Huff, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
The 90-year-old former Bond girl told Swiss newspaper Blick in January that she had been defrauded out of 18 million Swiss francs, approximately 20 million euros, by her long-time financial adviser over an eight-year period.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
In that case, a jury found Musk had defrauded Twitter investors in the lead up to his buyout of the social network.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026
The move came after allegations that a Pittsburgh funeral director defrauded thousands of grieving families and threw their pets into landfills.
—Tory Wegerski, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Attorneys for Perry countersued, saying Aumann never had equity, was not an employee and misrepresented and defrauded Perry and David Cree Crawford, another owner — at times threatening physical violence.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
King joined the company amid class action lawsuits that alleged Xponential defrauded its investors.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
The agency has also taken on fraudsters, like its case against a solar panel company that defrauded residents that could yield nearly $20 million.
—Harvey Epstein, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
Elon Musk’s use of the drug ketamine will be off limits to attorneys for OpenAI and its chief executive officer Sam Altman during an upcoming jury trial over claims that the generative AI company defrauded Musk by abandoning its nonprofit roots.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
Jess Huff, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
The 90-year-old former Bond girl told Swiss newspaper Blick in January that she had been defrauded out of 18 million Swiss francs, approximately 20 million euros, by her long-time financial adviser over an eight-year period.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
In that case, a jury found Musk had defrauded Twitter investors in the lead up to his buyout of the social network.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026
The move came after allegations that a Pittsburgh funeral director defrauded thousands of grieving families and threw their pets into landfills.
—Tory Wegerski, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Attorneys for Perry countersued, saying Aumann never had equity, was not an employee and misrepresented and defrauded Perry and David Cree Crawford, another owner — at times threatening physical violence.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
King joined the company amid class action lawsuits that alleged Xponential defrauded its investors.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
The agency has also taken on fraudsters, like its case against a solar panel company that defrauded residents that could yield nearly $20 million.
—Harvey Epstein, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
Elon Musk’s use of the drug ketamine will be off limits to attorneys for OpenAI and its chief executive officer Sam Altman during an upcoming jury trial over claims that the generative AI company defrauded Musk by abandoning its nonprofit roots.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defrauded
Verb
-
Indigenous people have been cheated through laws such as are operated in Nigeria today.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
-
So those Santa Ana constituents would be cheated out of services if the money remained solely in the First District.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some songs here have been plucked from Robyn’s back catalog and given a dusting up for the 2020s.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Come down from your tower for a steak, some seafood plucked from Gulf waters, a martini.—
Elazar Sontag,
Washington Post,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These scandals stung at the time, but looking back, Cyrus wouldn’t have changed a thing.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
-
All was going well when suddenly the scorpion stung the frog.—
Harvey Levine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Shade was always a hard worker, the kind of player who hustled on every possession, but the intangibles didn’t always come naturally to her.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Santa Clara quickly hustled down the floor, and Allen Graves drained a 3-pointer with just two seconds left to give them a 73-70 lead.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And almost all traffic goes through two main shipping lanes that are even more squeezed.—
Annette Choi,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
-
More than 22,000 oranges are squeezed, and hundreds of gallons of drinks are poured, all for opening day.—
Caroline Foreback,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Harper is thrilled, Whitney is screwed.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
2 Mar. 2026
-
You just got screwed over by a duo!—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Santa Barbara, Ireland and her husband have been swindled out of their home equity and their life insurance policies, forced to sell their home, and left without substantial savings.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Robin Williams was swindled a few times.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Klipsch Austin Portable Bluetooth Speaker Deal Don't be deceived by the small Klipsch Austin portable speaker.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Svetlana Petriychuk wrote the play Finist, the Brave Falcon, based on real events, about Russian women deceived into marrying ISIS fighters and traveling to Syria.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defrauded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defrauded. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
