Thesaurus results for FLEECED

fleeced

verb

Definition of fleeced

past tense of fleece

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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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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fleeced

Verb

In 2014, Russia was proven to have cheated in the Sochi Olympic Games.

— Katie Uhlaender OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
Although receipt of the letter does not indicate that someone definitively cheated, an unspecified number of cases have been referred to district attorneys for prosecution, the spokesperson said.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of cheated

Verb

And their semi-final victory over England was plucked from another incredibly precarious position.

— Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026
In the center of the patio stands what looks like a jumbotron plucked from an arena nearby and set it down on a platform, with all four sides showing that day's game.

— Becky Sullivan, NPR, 19 July 2026

Definition of plucked

Verb

With one hour to collect their gear and pack the school bus taking them to Miami Gardens, the kids hustled to get ready to make their World Cup debut.

— Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026
Angela George The program's pacing and energy feel hustled this evening as organizers try to make up for two hours lost because of storms earlier in the day.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of hustled

Verb

Tournament football isn’t generally conducive to pressing, with so many matches squeezed into such a short window, and without the cohesion that comes from club sides training together for months.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 22 July 2026
My problem is the kart path along the road has 3 or so feet of grass between it and the road, then suddenly the grass narrows and is eventually gone before going over the bridge and everything is squeezed together.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of squeezed

Verb

Thus, the outright majority of American voters, the Independents, get royally screwed again in favor of folks who represent about a quarter of Americans, thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision.

— Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026
Last year, Katz filmed a video of his new protégé shucking oysters, chopping wood, swinging kettlebells, and speaking directly to the camera in a muddy sweatshirt about how the oligarchy had screwed their beloved state.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026

Definition of screwed

Verb

While the men whom Chen allegedly swindled began to grow suspicious of her actions around 2024, the Clark County Marriage Bureau reported her to the police, resulting in the launch of an investigation around the same time.

— Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
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

Definition of swindled

Verb

That’s highly unlikely considering Lestat and Louis were steps away from getting back together before they were beheaded and had spared only a small moment to reckon with her spending an eternity stuck in purgatory without Madeleine (Roxane Duran).

— Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
The Texas players kicked our bats, yelled at our girls, stuck their tongues out, threw the ball in the air after every inning and on and on.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of stuck

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“Fleeced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fleeced. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of fleeced

verb

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