as in cheated
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
swindlers who use the telephone to fleece senior citizens out of their savings
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of fleeced
At his sentencing in 2024, Bailyn, the prosecutor, described Lorquet as a greedy criminal who fleeced his country at one of its weakest moments in history.
—
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 8 June 2026
The lesson from the parking deal is not merely that the city got fleeced by private investors.
—Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar is warning of another scam that fleeced local residents out of tens of thousands of dollars — this time targeting family members of inmates in the Bexar County jail.
—Saul Pink, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Feb. 2026
Mexican cartels have fleeced American victims for hundreds of millions of dollars through timeshare fraud over the decades, treasury officials said, targeted them through call centers staffed by English-speaking telemarketers.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Compared with the ostensible consequences of the prisoner’s dilemma, getting fleeced in the snowdrift problem’s scenario isn’t quite as disastrous.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2026
Their false claims about getting financially fleeced by Uncle Sam were fueled by a rather sophisticated, albeit deceitful and shameful lobbying campaign, sponsored by greedy gadflies out to make a quick buck.
—Tom Margenau, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
Zach Harper basically wrote that Atlanta got fleeced here, though.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Donovan writes—the perception that men were being fleeced persisted.
—Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 8 June 2026
The lesson from the parking deal is not merely that the city got fleeced by private investors.
—Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar is warning of another scam that fleeced local residents out of tens of thousands of dollars — this time targeting family members of inmates in the Bexar County jail.
—Saul Pink, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Feb. 2026
Mexican cartels have fleeced American victims for hundreds of millions of dollars through timeshare fraud over the decades, treasury officials said, targeted them through call centers staffed by English-speaking telemarketers.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Compared with the ostensible consequences of the prisoner’s dilemma, getting fleeced in the snowdrift problem’s scenario isn’t quite as disastrous.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2026
Their false claims about getting financially fleeced by Uncle Sam were fueled by a rather sophisticated, albeit deceitful and shameful lobbying campaign, sponsored by greedy gadflies out to make a quick buck.
—Tom Margenau, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
Zach Harper basically wrote that Atlanta got fleeced here, though.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Donovan writes—the perception that men were being fleeced persisted.
—Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fleeced
Verb
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People are robbed, assaulted and cheated.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
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That does not prove every student cheated.—
Gerald Bradshaw,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Elsewhere on the ruby red carpet, Greta Lee paid homage to beloved cowgirl, Jessie, brought to life by Joan Cusack in all five films, wearing a red and white spherical, one-shoulder gown plucked straight from the Christian Dior spring 2026 couture runway.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
10 June 2026
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Either way, what ancient musicians realized is that changing the length of a string also changed its vibration when plucked, which in turn changed the musical pitch.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Raised in a Hollywood household, with a TV writer dad and hitmaking songwriter sister, Todd skipped college, hustled on TikTok, signed to Columbia and toured with Omar Apollo.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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In a sense, bees went from wild foragers to shift workers, clocking in for bloom season as beekeepers hustled them from farm to farm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The keen scent of the fall breeze with its hint of snow now swept down the valley and stung our faces.—
Anton Money,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
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Drivers stung by high gas prices have enjoyed some welcome relief over the last couple of weeks, even as the impact of the Iran war continues to choke off oil supply.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Profits are squeezed because of the RAM crisis and Samsung has responded with price increases and weaker deals.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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As the fans beyond it jumped to their feet with their hands raised, Reynolds reached over and squeezed his glove shut around what would have been the go-ahead home run.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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For the employees, such as my previous career as a film composer, we are screwed.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
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Anybody who has too long a résumé is screwed.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
21 May 2026
Verb
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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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After over a decade of partnership, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is suing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for more than $130 billion, alleging that Altman and OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman swindled him and betrayed the company’s founding charitable mission.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Everyone can relate to a character waiting for a phone call, or a text, that feeling of being stuck in a purgatorial gap that won’t end until the other person has made contact.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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Outside the arena, reactions were mixed after Trump waved through his tinted window to the crowds stuck behind the barricades across the street.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fleeced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fleeced. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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