fraud

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word fraud different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of fraud are counterfeit, fake, humbug, imposture, and sham. While all these words mean "a thing made to seem other than it is," fraud usually implies a deliberate perversion of the truth.

the diary was exposed as a fraud

When could counterfeit be used to replace fraud?

The words counterfeit and fraud can be used in similar contexts, but counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable.

20-dollar bills that were counterfeits

When can fake be used instead of fraud?

The words fake and fraud are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fake implies an imitation of or substitution for the genuine but does not necessarily imply dishonesty.

these jewels are fakes; the real ones are in the vault

When would humbug be a good substitute for fraud?

The meanings of humbug and fraud largely overlap; however, humbug suggests elaborate pretense usually so flagrant as to be transparent.

creating publicity by foisting humbugs on a gullible public

When might imposture be a better fit than fraud?

While in some cases nearly identical to fraud, imposture applies to any situation in which a spurious object or performance is passed off as genuine.

their claim of environmental concern is an imposture

In what contexts can sham take the place of fraud?

Although the words sham and fraud have much in common, sham applies to fraudulent imitation of a real thing or action.

condemned the election as a sham

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 fraud Always Active These Cookies are required for Service functionality, including security and fraud prevention, and to enable any purchasing capabilities. Michael Considine, CNBC, 30 June 2025 Do Kwon, who co-founded Terraform in 2018, was arrested in 2023 in Montenegro and later extradited to the United States on fraud charges related to the crash. Afp, Fortune, 30 June 2025 The information can be used to commit fraud, or even blackmail. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025 Another former Celtics player has also served time behind bars for the health care fraud case. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fraud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fraud
Noun
  • Dating apps, including Tinder, are fertile ground for scams, according to various consumer protection sources including the FBI and Federal Trade Commission.
    Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 30 June 2025
  • The move would block laws on the books in more than 20 states, including those covering AI scams, election misinformation and explicit deepfake images of children.
    Jay O'Brien, ABC News, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • And not just shooting the shot, but using it to create space for my teammates or using a shot fake to create a different shot for myself or a drive to kick.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 June 2025
  • But a closer inspection revealed some telltale signs that the document, first obtained by the Tribune through a public records request, is likely a fake.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • This deception couldn’t come at a worse time for America’s debt.
    Thomas Kahn, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
  • Unlike earlier studies that uncovered evasion or deception, this research exposed a more alarming phenomenon: models calculating that unethical behavior was a justifiable strategy for survival.
    Hamilton Mann, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • Official results of the election handed Lukashenko his sixth term in office but were denounced by the opposition and the West as a sham.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025
  • Another sign that this search was viewed as a sham was that the most impressive outside candidate was the city manager of Norcross, Ga., an Atlanta suburb of 18,000 residents.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • When confronted, deceit turns their romantic evening into a darkly comedic nightmare.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025
  • The nation has now paid a steep price for its deceit and deception.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • What used to be a very niche field with only a small handful of offerings has become a cottage industry full of contenders and pretenders, and any number of startups offering a readymade conversion for your bike.
    Michael Venutolo-Mantovani, Wired News, 20 June 2025
  • With a guitarist by her side doing little else than striking the poses of bygone hair-metal pretenders, SZA sang from her knees and brought back ‘80s pop rock.
    Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • Caricatured by Honoré Daumier and his lesser followers always as a mountebank, a charlatan, a circus clown, Louis Napoleon could normalize the extent of his outrages by the seeming harmlessness of his absurdities.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
  • Where to watch Saw: Amazon Prime Video (to rent) 03 of 10 Saw X (2023) John Kramer ventures to Mexico for an experimental cancer treatment administered by money-hungry charlatans in this slick but not particularly inventive revival sequel, which takes place between the events of Saw and Saw II.
    Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • The chief specimen here (played by MMA fighter Chi Lewis-Parry) is a massive beast whose brute strength is matched by his cunning.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
  • On the other end of the spectrum was the more docile Kelly who often felt conflicted when her morals clashed with the cunning needed to succeed in the game.
    Nick Caruso, TVLine, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fraud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fraud. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

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