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 longtime couple were previously convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud in 2022 before reporting to prison in January 2023. Dory Jackson, People.com, 27 May 2025 Donald Trump has shared his plans to issue full pardons to reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were serving years-long prison sentences after being convicted of federal bank fraud and tax evasion charges. Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2025 He was also charged with mail fraud in 1983 and was accused of aggravated rape. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 27 May 2025 Those who need these funds and those who foot the bill are tied for justifiable anger at such fraud. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for fraud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fraud
Noun
  • The latest round of scam texts have been reported by departments of motor vehicles in at least three states: New York, Florida and California.
    Alana Wise, NPR, 24 May 2025
  • Such scams exploit investor enthusiasm and poor regulation to inflate prices before insiders sell off their holdings.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Noun
  • Maybe the cows were fakes, or sold, moved somewhere or their tags were changed.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • Unfortunately, we were deprived of all those fake idols getting played because players kept leaving the game with fakes in their pockets, socks, and bags.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • As an escaped convict posing as a beloved preacher, and as his gentle, upright twin, Robeson embodies a devastating split between appearance and truth, and whose uncanny doubling plays out in a community shaped by racial violence, spiritual deception, and economic precarity.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
  • Ellie, however, cannot abide Joel’s deception, and interrupts to tell the truth to Gail, who then slaps Joel and tells him to leave.
    Adam B. Vary, Variety, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has been exposed as nothing more than a sham.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • Despite a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russia beginning May 8, Ukraine has rejected it as a sham.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Lia Thomas stole a medal through deceit, and this rag has the gall to call him a 'champion'?
    Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
  • Maeve doubles down on her deceit, lying to Conrad to cover her own ass.
    EW.com, EW.com, 11 May 2025
Noun
  • That’s where discipline separates professionals from pretenders.
    Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • Sorting the contenders from pretenders Here’s a quick rundown of where every team stands after the Jets eked out a Game 5 win over the upstart Blues last night in whiteout Winnipeg.
    James Mirtle, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • For them, the Nazarene is not a charlatan, but an upright man, one who has courage, who speaks well and says the right things, like other great prophets in the history of Israel.
    Daniel Burke, NPR, 9 May 2025
  • It was bought for $40,000 in 1937 by medical charlatan Norman Baker.
    Jack Schnedler, Arkansas Online, 5 May 2025
Noun
  • Neither his fearsome resolve nor his supreme cunning—which had enabled him to vanquish his rivals and spiritually crush his inner circle—was in evidence in 1941.
    Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
  • Despite being outnumbered 50-to-1 by the Five Families of the Italian mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fraud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fraud. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on fraud

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