social engineering

noun

1
: management of human beings in accordance with their place and function in society : applied social science
2
: social methods (such as phishing) that are used to obtain personal or confidential information which can then be used illicitly
The previously noted trend of switching from social engineering to hacking methods in attacks on organizations strengthened …—San Fernando Valley (California) Business Journal
social engineer noun
plural social engineers

Examples of social engineering in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There are also more nebulous items, including advice to beware of social engineering. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 24 June 2026 The company says the incident involved a social engineering attack on a single user account. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 June 2026 Public travel updates may increase risks of burglary, phishing schemes, social engineering scams, and privacy breaches. — Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 19 June 2026 That was a time in which social engineering efforts by village officials began to fall into place and built a racial-harmony environment that caught the attention of the nation. — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for social engineering

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of social engineering was in 1899

Rhymes for social engineering

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Browse Nearby Words

social dynamics
social engineering
social evil
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Cite this Entry

“Social engineering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20engineering. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

social engineering

noun
1
: management of human beings in accordance with their place and function in society : applied social science
2
: social methods (such as phishing) that are used to obtain personal or confidential information which can then be used illicitly
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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