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
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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
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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
Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Jurors were asked to decide if two tweets and comments Musk made on a podcast in May 2022 amounted to him intentionally defrauding shareholders who sold their stock based on his statements.
—Staff, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Company founder Joanna Smith-Griffin faces charges of defrauding investors.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Defendants Charles and Patrick Boyd were sentenced to 20 years and 18 years in prison, respectively, on Friday after they were convicted in October of defrauding the Food and Drug Administration.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
He is accused of defrauding the Waterbury Marriott of approximately $111,000.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
One of those companies, HD Entertainment, was run by Peter Pham, who has been charged by federal prosecutors with Do in the separate $10 million scheme defrauding the county.
—Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 9 Mar. 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
This is the latest chapter in a saga that began nearly 10 years ago when Snyder was indicted in November 2016 on one count of defrauding the IRS and two counts of bribery, one involving towing contracts and the other involving garbage trucks.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Jurors were asked to decide if two tweets and comments Musk made on a podcast in May 2022 amounted to him intentionally defrauding shareholders who sold their stock based on his statements.
—Staff, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Company founder Joanna Smith-Griffin faces charges of defrauding investors.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Defendants Charles and Patrick Boyd were sentenced to 20 years and 18 years in prison, respectively, on Friday after they were convicted in October of defrauding the Food and Drug Administration.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
He is accused of defrauding the Waterbury Marriott of approximately $111,000.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
One of those companies, HD Entertainment, was run by Peter Pham, who has been charged by federal prosecutors with Do in the separate $10 million scheme defrauding the county.
—Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defrauding
Adjective
-
Cherfilus-McCormick is charged with 15 counts, including theft of government funds, money laundering, making and receiving straw donor contributions, and aiding and assisting the preparation of a false and fraudulent statement on a tax return.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Both men sold drugs to fund their fraudulent transactions, prosecutors said.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her lawyers, Giuseppe Iannaccone and Marcello Bana, have denied there was a case of grand larceny, which would include fraud and swindling.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An angler competing in a walleye derby on Saskatchewan’s Montreal Lake was kicked out of the ice-fishing tournament Saturday after being accused of cheating.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Last year, a dozen people were charged with using and selling a smog-check cheating device.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Asked about those allegations, Grossi said his role is to provide technical expertise, not to weigh in on whether Iran was honest or dishonest.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
This is dishonest and partisan.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Serve with garlic toasts and lemon wedges for squeezing over if desired.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Photos and video show the explorers squeezing through jagged crevices deep inside the karsts, using flashlights to guide them further along an otherwise pitch-black maze of rocky burrows.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Lebohang Morake — the Grammy-winning South African composer behind the film’s opening Zulu vocals — filed a federal civil complaint in California on March 16 against the comedian, Learnmore Jonasi, alleging that the translation is false and damaging to his life’s work.—
Joe Kottke,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Rebollo, a 58-year-old Chula Vista resident, pleaded guilty in December in San Diego federal court to one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of filing a false tax return and one count related to Social Security fraud.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Braves players worked on hustling first to third on a soft single to the outfield, or breaking toward home on a dribbler in the infield.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, McCutchen walked for the fourth straight game and beat out an infield single, hustling hard to first on a squibber down the third base line.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The fairy-tale qualities continue as Betty shows off the contents of her bedraggled herb garden to her new ward, plucking out an edible flower for Laura to sample.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
-
When not plucking away at a keyboard, Madison teaches yoga and mountain bikes with her two Australian shepherds, Cholla and Poppy, through Missoula's Rattlesnake Wilderness.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defrauding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defrauding. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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