Thesaurus results for DEFRAUD

Q: How does the verb 'defraud' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of defraud are cheat , cozen , and swindle . While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," defraud stresses depriving one of his or her rights and usually connotes deliberate perversion of the truth. // defrauded of her inheritance by an unscrupulous lawyer

Q: When might 'cheat' be a better fit than 'defraud'?

While in some cases nearly identical to defraud , cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation. // cheated me out of a dollar

Q: When would 'cozen' be a good substitute for 'defraud'?

The words cozen and defraud can be used in similar contexts, but cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose. // always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

Q: Where would 'swindle' be a reasonable alternative to 'defraud'?

In some situations, the words swindle and defraud are roughly equivalent. However, swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence. // swindled of their savings by con artists

defraud

verb

di-ˈfrȯd

Definition of defraud

as in to cheat

to rob by the use of trickery or threats senior citizens generally were too smart to fall for the fast-talking salesman's attempts to defraud them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb defraud contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of defraud are cheat, cozen, and swindle. While all these words mean "to get something by dishonesty or deception," defraud stresses depriving one of his or her rights and usually connotes deliberate perversion of the truth.

defrauded of her inheritance by an unscrupulous lawyer

When might cheat be a better fit than defraud?

While in some cases nearly identical to defraud, cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation.

cheated me out of a dollar

When would cozen be a good substitute for defraud?

The words cozen and defraud can be used in similar contexts, but cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose.

always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars

Where would swindle be a reasonable alternative to defraud?

In some situations, the words swindle and defraud are roughly equivalent. However, swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence.

swindled of their savings by con artists

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 defraud In 2022, she was found guilty of defrauding investors but acquitted of defrauding patients; her ex and Theranos COO Sunny Balwani was convicted of both. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026 Where Montoya lived Montoya faces charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, possession of false immigration documents, use of false immigration documents and obstruction of agency proceedings. — Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Tuesday afternoon announced that nine providers have been charged with defrauding the Medicaid program. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 Even more alarming, DOJ says more than 12,000 people were defrauded by that single scheme more than 20 times each. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for defraud

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defraud

Verb

In taking that gamble, the authors cheated fans and missed an opportunity.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
How successful the gerrymandering actually was remains to be seen — Republicans are polling poorly in the Lone Star State, perhaps in part because of their blatant attempt to cheat voters out of their voices.

— The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of cheat

Verb

But in recent years, the shows have become money losers and the network TV business — faced with a decline in viewers that is squeezing profits — are cutting them loose.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
However, rising costs for housing, food, fuel and insurance coupled with cooling employment rends and the lowest consumer sentiment in a decade is squeezing discretionary spending.

— Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of squeeze

Verb

The original number was 28,800, but Carolina Herrera designer Wes Gordon’s two children plucked a tulip each to take with them.

— Max Berlinger, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026
Four years later Fontaine plucked another future Hall of Famer, taking outfielder Tony Gwynn in the third round.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of pluck

Verb

Indy struggled against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in its season opener, then took a stinging 33-30 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

— Elise Devlin, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2026
General Mills spun off Darden Restaurants in 1995, and then Darden sold Red Lobster in 2014, in a deal with the private equity firm Golden Gate Capital that still stings many veterans to this day.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of sting

Verb

Some veterans say recruiters deceived them and Haitian authorities tortured them; their families call them scapegoats.

— Astrid Suárez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Some of the Colombians have long maintained that they were deceived about the mission and arrived at the home after Moïse had already been killed.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of deceive

Verb

The film chronicled Gortner’s youth as a Pentecostal preacher in the American South and exposed the deceptive practices used to bilk believers out of their money.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
In 2025, romance scammers bilked ordinary men and women out of over a billion dollars using a variety of crooked tactics.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of bilk

Verb

At one point, Fred was swindled out of upward of $15,000 when someone pretended to be the owner of a house for sale that Fred wanted to buy.

— Megan Rose, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2026
He’s accused of swindling an elderly Tarrant County resident out of between $30,000 and $150,000, the indictment states.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of swindle

Browse Nearby Words

deforms

defraud

defrauded

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Defraud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defraud. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of defraud

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

deportment

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes