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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defraud
In March 2018, McFarland pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud to defraud investors and ticket holders and was later sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to forfeit $26 million.
—
Greg Evans, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Julie and Todd were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud in June 2022, while Julie was also found guilty of wire fraud.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Since production on the series started, eight women have claimed that they were defrauded by Todd Dean, who asked for money to help fund a mental health facility in Tennessee that never opened.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
Aspiration, whose founder Joseph Sanberg recently pled guilty to defrauding investors and lenders, filed for bankruptcy in March, with the Clippers listed as the company’s largest creditor with over $30 million owed.
—Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defraud
Greg Evans, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Julie and Todd were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud in June 2022, while Julie was also found guilty of wire fraud.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Since production on the series started, eight women have claimed that they were defrauded by Todd Dean, who asked for money to help fund a mental health facility in Tennessee that never opened.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
Aspiration, whose founder Joseph Sanberg recently pled guilty to defrauding investors and lenders, filed for bankruptcy in March, with the Clippers listed as the company’s largest creditor with over $30 million owed.
—Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defraud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defraud
Verb
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In June 2009, Kate filed for divorce following cheating allegations surrounding Jon.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Park Min-young played a timid wife seeking revenge on her cheating man in Marry My Husband.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The shakeups are the latest at a time when restaurants are squeezed between a labor shortage, rising food prices and a loss of customers as diners cut back on spending.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Sep. 2025
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For now, the three youngest each sleep in their own pack-and-plays squeezed into their parents’ bedroom.—
Jeff Truesdell,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There may be even greater reasons to put an ad that plucks the heartstrings in front of a broader crowd.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
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Through the BirdReturns farmlands program, late-summer fields are filled with a shallow 2- to 4-inch depth, allowing shorebirds to pluck bugs from the mud beneath the water.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Instead of hustling for one-day bookings, Patel engineered a system where one client often meant three to five events—maximizing return and loyalty.—
Sindhya Valloppillil,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Farnaz Farjam, one of the show’s executive producers, told Deadline that the production hustled to find a way to capture all three elements.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This interaction damages skin cells and can trigger irritation, redness, stinging or burning.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
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Sherry recalls one instance that stung in particular, when a friend pointed out his hair loss at a social gathering.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Looks can be deceiving, Cali said.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
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There is some relief on the way, but do not be deceived.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Charmaine Gatlin, a former top executive of the fundraising arm for Miami-Dade County’s public hospital system, pleaded guilty Thursday to bilking millions of dollars from the Jackson Health Foundation and spending the charity funds on luxury goods for herself.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
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They were convicted, along with their accountant, of bilking banks out of more than $36 million.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
29 June 2025
Verb
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So if you have been swindled, don't be embarrassed.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, gained notoriety for posing as a German heiress and used her social standing to swindle and defraud wealthy people, banks and hotels.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defraud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defraud. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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