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

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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 Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa is being charged with grand theft, a second-degree felony, and organized scheme to defraud, a first-degree felony, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 The company’s founder has sued Kao, saying his stewardship defrauded Navatek of millions. — Molly Redden, ProPublica, 20 Oct. 2026 Holmes was about to begin an 11-year sentence at a federal prison in Bryan, Texas, for defrauding investors in her blood-testing company, Theranos, of hundreds of millions of dollars. — Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026 Luis Pomaquiza, 42, of Southington, was arrested and charged with defrauding a workers’ compensation insurance carrier, according to the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for defraud

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defraud

Verb

But the idea that girls are being cheated is personal for some athletes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Miller—who is no stranger to extramarital tabloid scandals herself—has also mastered her getting-cheated-on performances.

— Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of cheat

Verb

In Frankfurt, a gray city crumbling at the corners and still finding its footing after the war, though somehow doing its best to pretend all is well, Mann and Erika are greeted by the mayor and hustled off to a press conference.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
The two firefighters, listening to their radios, hustled to the upstream bridge, prepared rope and watched the water.

— Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of hustle

Verb

Continue reading … CROSSING THE AISLE — Manchin delivers stinging rebuke to Schumer with surprise Senate campaign stop.

— , FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
All of a sudden, Bass was a staggering champion lunging at a revived Raman, who swung and stung and ducked the way only a hungry up-and-comer can.

— Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of sting

Verb

But looks are deceiving in this case – just like the 3X Plus and 3X before it, the trailer stretches out via three individual telescopic segments that emerge at the push of a button.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
Facebook's lawyers argued that the state failed to prove whether people were actually harmed by these deceiving statements.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 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

But the women’s friendship soured when Brady claimed McDonnell and Nilles tried to swindle her out of funds.

— Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
And there’s little reasonable about looking the other way when residents say they’re being swindled or when the state’s constitution is being violated.

— Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of swindle

Browse Nearby Words

deforms

defraud

defrauded

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“Defraud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defraud. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of defraud

verb

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