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 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is scouring payments covering health care for immigrants without legal status to ensure there isn't any waste, fraud or abuse, according to public records obtained by KFF Health News and The Associated Press. Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025 The recent rash of CEOs Gone Wild is arguably even stupider than commonplace fraud, and a troubling sign that there continues to be a slippery slope of accountability for C-Suite leadership. Ian Chaffee, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025 The attorney announced earlier this year that the department had expanded the incentives for whistleblowers who reported a slew of crimes, including customs fraud and tariff evasion. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 5 Sep. 2025 By the mid-1850s, electoral fraud by pro-slavery advocates was particularly egregious in the Kansas territory. Time, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fraud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fraud
Noun
  • Numerous high-profile accounts have been hijacked to promote crypto scams, including one of OpenAI's unofficial accounts in late 2024.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 7 Sep. 2025
  • This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Buffs bit on a zone-read fake on Delaware’s first drive as tailback Jo Silver opened the game by gashing CU for a 10-yard gain.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2025
  • True stories are one way to differentiate the authentic from the fake.
    Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Advances in deception and seeking technologies will further shape this contest, as each side works to reduce the effectiveness of the other’s systems.
    Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Minnesota’s Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson condemned the deception and affirmed how troubling the ambush was.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Exclusivo Mezcla Reversible Lightweight Quilt Set The Exclusivo Mezcla Quilt Bedding Set includes a reversible quilt and two matching pillow shams to tie the look together.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Pottery Barn offers matching shams with zipper closures, and both the quilt and shams are available on sale.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Many of the women who spoke Monday addressed that claim directly, saying they were tricked and coerced from the start and that the deceit went far beyond one lie about where the video would be distributed.
    Alex Riggins, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The rest of the book is autobiographical, a love story between two writers, but also, a tale of deceit.
    Sarah Adler September 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But the Bolts don't have enough pieces to go from pretenders to contenders.
    Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025
  • The signing of Isak, however, might have turned Arsenal from title pretenders to genuine contenders.
    Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • When yet another affair is discovered (Kate Upton), all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on their cheating, lying, three-timing SOB.
    Caitlin White, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Byron had his arms wrapped around the company's HR chief, Kristin Cabot, and subsequently faced cheating allegations after they were spotted on the jumbotron.
    Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on fraud

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