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
Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
That gave her the opportunity to hide costs in fake invoices submitted by a close circle of vendors who collaborated with her in fleecing the charity’s funds.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 12 Dec. 2025
Verb
The district also continues to grapple with the shadow of ex-superintendent Devon Horton, who faces federal charges of fleecing District 65 through a kickback scheme.
—Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
That gave her the opportunity to hide costs in fake invoices submitted by a close circle of vendors who collaborated with her in fleecing the charity’s funds.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 12 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fleecing
Noun
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These vulnerabilities contributed to notorious scandals, including the Gun Trace Task Force corruption case, in which officers engaged in robbery, extortion and falsifying evidence.—
Karl W. Bickel,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Jan. 2026
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Coveware, a company that helps clients respond to cyber extortion incidents, reports the average ransom payment made by victims of cyberattacks has been falling.—
Suzanne King,
Kansas City Star,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Contessa’s Corner Sports leagues, state gambling regulators and tribal leaders have all raised concerns that prediction market trades on sports don’t have the same level of guardrails as sportsbooks to protect against cheating by athletes, referees, coaches and other insiders.—
Alex Sherman,Contessa Brewer,
CNBC,
9 Jan. 2026
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The predictions were that unleashing AI to the world at large would lead to an exponential rise in cheating at school and that student essays would cease to be original.—
Degen Pener,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As the tournament approaches, some Kansas Citians have raised concerns over the condition of some short-term rentals, price-gouging, or, at the very least, offering subpar properties for premium prices.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
10 Dec. 2025
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Curtain calls Pankration was a form of sport invented by the ancient Greeks, a combination of wrestling and boxing in which almost everything short of biting and gouging was permitted.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Echoing similar concerns, Stefani’s spokesperson, Daniel Herzstein, said in a statement that a lower rent cap would risk squeezing landlords who already face rising costs.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
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But squeezing China out of Latin America will take far more than a single show of force, no matter how impressive.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Regime change, as it has been practiced and discussed in international politics, refers to something far more ambitious and far more consequential than plucking out a single leader.—
Andrew Latham,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
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Regime change, as it has been practiced and discussed in international politics, refers to something far more ambitious and far more consequential than plucking out a single leader.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Students were hustling around campus, coming and going on the penultimate Saturday of the semester.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
15 Dec. 2025
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The bubbling party scene in New York City was indeed a movie, and Puffy was hustling his way into the leading role.—
Essence,
Essence,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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But a lackluster performance during that fall's vice presidential debate did little to help the party avoid stinging losses in November 2024.—
Hunter Woodall,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
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The 31-year-old was among dozens who braved stinging brain freeze to win an exclusive Snow King foldable bag.—
Theodora Yu,
Fortune,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Cattano suggests screwing mug hooks into the bottom of kitchen cabinets to utilize that space between the cupboards and the countertops.—
Bridget Reed Morawski,
Architectural Digest,
7 Jan. 2026
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That’s because the president doesn’t care about screwing people.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fleecing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fleecing. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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