as in extortion
the exaction of a grossly excessive charge for goods or services
the fleecing of the summer tourists seems to be a time-honored tradition on that resort island
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in cheating
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fleecing
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
After the property sale, Graham started fleecing his mother while transferring money from her New York bank and brokerage accounts into his own checking account in Miami, according to a factual statement filed with his plea agreement.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fleecing
Noun
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One of its founders, William da Silva Lima, spent more than 30 years behind bars after being convicted of armed robbery, extortion and kidnapping.—
Alessandra Freitas,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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In addition to kidnappings, the gangs run extortion rings and control access to a key border crossing for commerce between Haiti and the neighboring Dominican Republic.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But like his predecessor, this Frankenstein is just as obsessed with immortality and cheating death through science.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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Gen Z is 'monkey barring' — not cheating.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The only tactics barred were eye gouging, groin strikes, and biting, none of which was especially policed.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
11 Oct. 2025
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Even if what Weyland-Yutani has is blood-sucking, eye-gouging, and chest-bursting alien monsters.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Bagail 6-piece Compression Packing Cube Set is just $19 and a game-changer for squeezing extra outfits into a carry-on.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
-
To check for ripeness, start by squeezing the fruit—ripe mangos should give slightly under pressure without feeling overly soft or mushy.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Recipes from Valencia took me back to an afternoon lounging in the lawns near The City of Arts and Sciences, staring at orange trees, plucking pieces of rabbit from paella with my fingers, and swirling toast into olive oil.—
Jamila Robinson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
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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,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On Canal Street on Thursday morning, lost tourists tripped over commuters hustling out of the subway, the grates on the souvenir stores went up, but most of the street vendors were still missing.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
23 Oct. 2025
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The on-field swings were such a rarity that he was cheered on by Roberts, the Dodgers’ coaching staff and a handful of teammates and his walkup song (Michael Buble’s ‘Feeling Good’) blasted from the sound system briefly, sending photographers and cameramen hustling into action.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Rather than rob the story of its teeth, this enabled me to explore the pain, loneliness and personal demons of my characters with sympathy rather than stinging bite.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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Seawater keeps the jellyfish’s stinging capsules inert.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Whatever the cause, Denton plays Guy as a mid-tier Vampire Diaries protagonist, never evincing a range beyond just sort of screwing his face up a bit when he’s supposed to be upset.—
Lily Osler,
Vulture,
27 Oct. 2025
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Each of the authors who spoke to Rolling Stone say Amazon has a clear responsibility to invest in more software and moderation that prevents AI scam books like these from screwing over readers and authors.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fleecing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fleecing. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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