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Definitions

fraud

[frawd] / frɔd /
NOUN
trickery, deception
Synonyms
STRONGEST
blackmail deceit extortion graft hoax misrepresentation scam
STRONG
artifice barratry cheat chicane chicanery con craft double-dealing dupery duplicity fake flimflam fraudulence guile hocus-pocus hustle imposture line racket sell shakedown sham skunk smoke song spuriousness sting swindle treachery
WEAK
bamboozlement duping fast one fast shuffle fourberie hanky-panky hoodwinking sharp practice song and dance swindling
Antonyms
STRONG
artlessness entertainment forthrightness frankness honesty openness reality sincerity truth truthfulness
WEAK
fairness justice
NOUN
person who is false, deceitful
Synonyms
STRONG
bastard bluffer charlatan cheat counterfeit crook deceiver double-dealer fake forger four-flusher hoaxer impostor mechanic mountebank phony pretender quack racketeer sham shark swindler
WEAK
horse trader playactor

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Last September, the auto-parts manufacturer First Brands Group and the subprime auto lender Tricolor Holdings collapsed within days of each other, both amid fraud allegations that included the double-pledging of collateral across multiple lenders.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Thompson is already serving a six-year sentence after he was jailed at a London court for his role in another VAT fraud scheme.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

These steps help reduce returns fraud when consumers return a similar-looking decoy item, said Sobie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Japan’s Nikkei.com news site reported External link earlier Tuesday that “dozens of cases of suspected financial fraud by former employees of Gibraltar Life Insurance, a subsidiary of the Prudential Group have surfaced.”

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

Or that they were seemingly oblivious to the fraud implicit in no-doc loans.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Vocabulary lists containing fraud

A Web of Lies

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The Best Starting Words for Wordle

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Smoke and Mirrors: The Lingo of Illusion and Deception

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!