fraud
noun
ˈfrȯd 
1
a
: deceit, trickery
specifically : intentional perversion of truth in order to induce another to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right
was accused of credit card fraud
b
: an act of deceiving or misrepresenting : trick
automobile insurance frauds
2
a
: a person who is not what he or she pretends to be : impostor
He claimed to be a licensed psychologist, but he turned out to be a fraud.
also : one who defrauds : cheat
b
: one that is not what it seems or is represented to be
The UFO picture was proved to be a fraud.
Synonyms
- bunco
- bunko
- con
- fiddle [chiefly British]
- flimflam
- hustle
- scam
- shell game
- sting
- swindle
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He was found guilty of bank fraud. He was the victim of an elaborate fraud. He claimed he was a licensed psychologist, but he turned out to be a fraud. The UFO picture was proved to be a fraud.
Recent Examples on the Web The man alleged that employees refused to deposit his check, citing possible fraud, and called the police. 
Julian Mark, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 The Courier Journal previously reported that Jenkins pleaded guilty in April to one count of bank fraud. Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 8 Sep. 2022 Its various units probe cases of foreign bribery by multinational companies, as well as those involving healthcare and securities fraud. Dylan Tokar, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Michael James Pratt preyed on young women and girls and allegedly coerced or forced them through threats and fraud to participate in pornographic videos. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 8 Sep. 2022 This investigation was made possible by Georgia’s Election Integrity Act of 2021, which Republicans argue is necessary to crack down on alleged voter fraud. Matthew Brown, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sep. 2022 In March 2017, Fitz was charged in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court with workers’ compensation fraud, forgery and failure to comply. Olivia Mitchell, cleveland, 8 Sep. 2022 Hansen asked an investigator from the fraud division to look into the matter. Mollie Simon, ProPublica, 7 Sep. 2022 The mail fraud charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Jennifer Terker, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2022 See More
Julian Mark, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 The Courier Journal previously reported that Jenkins pleaded guilty in April to one count of bank fraud. Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 8 Sep. 2022 Its various units probe cases of foreign bribery by multinational companies, as well as those involving healthcare and securities fraud. Dylan Tokar, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Michael James Pratt preyed on young women and girls and allegedly coerced or forced them through threats and fraud to participate in pornographic videos. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 8 Sep. 2022 This investigation was made possible by Georgia’s Election Integrity Act of 2021, which Republicans argue is necessary to crack down on alleged voter fraud. Matthew Brown, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sep. 2022 In March 2017, Fitz was charged in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court with workers’ compensation fraud, forgery and failure to comply. Olivia Mitchell, cleveland, 8 Sep. 2022 Hansen asked an investigator from the fraud division to look into the matter. Mollie Simon, ProPublica, 7 Sep. 2022 The mail fraud charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Jennifer Terker, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English fraude, from Anglo-French, from Latin fraud-, fraus
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing fraud
Kids Definition
fraud
noun
ˈfrȯd
1
: trickery, deceit
They got the money by fraud.
2
: an act of deceiving : trick
Investigators uncovered the fraud.
3
: a person who pretends to be what he or she is not You're not Santa Claus—you're a fraud.
Legal Definition
fraud
noun
1
a
: any act, expression, omission, or concealment calculated to deceive another to his or her disadvantage
specifically : a misrepresentation or concealment with reference to some fact material to a transaction that is made with knowledge of its falsity or in reckless disregard of its truth or falsity and with the intent to deceive another and that is reasonably relied on by the other who is injured thereby
b
: the affirmative defense of having acted in response to a fraud
2
: the crime or tort of committing fraud
convicted of securities fraud
see also misrepresentation Note: A tort action based on fraud is also referred to as an action of deceit.
— actual fraud
: fraud committed with the actual intent to deceive and thereby injure another
called also fraud in fact
compare constructive fraud in this entry — collateral fraud
: extrinsic fraud in this entry
— constructive fraud
: conduct that is considered fraud under the law despite the absence of an intent to deceive because it has the same consequences as an actual fraud would have and it is against public interests (as because of the violation of a public or private trust or confidence, the breach of a fiduciary duty, or the use of undue influence)
called also legal fraud
compare actual fraud in this entry — equitable fraud
: constructive fraud in this entry —used especially in New Jersey
— extrinsic fraud
: fraud (as that involved in making a false offer of compromise) that induces one not to present a case in court or deprives one of the opportunity to be heard
also : fraud that is not involved in the actual issues presented to a court and that prevents a full and fair hearing
called also collateral fraud
compare intrinsic fraud in this entry — fraud in fact
: actual fraud in this entry
— fraud in law
: fraud that is presumed to have occurred in light of the circumstances irrespective of intent to deceive
— fraud in the factum
: fraud in which the deception causes the other party to misunderstand the nature of the transaction in which he or she is engaging especially with regard to the contents of an instrument (as a contract or promissory note)
called also fraud in the execution
compare fraud in the inducement in this entry — fraud in the inducement
: fraud in which the deception leads the other party to engage in a transaction the nature of which he or she understands compare fraud in the factum in this entry
— fraud on the court
: fraud involving conduct that undermines the integrity of the judicial process (as by improperly influencing a judge, jury, or other court personnel)
also : extrinsic fraud in this entry
— identity fraud
: the unauthorized use of another's means of identification (as name or social security number) to commit fraud
— intrinsic fraud
: fraud (as by the use of false or forged documents, false claims, or perjured testimony) that deceives the trier of fact and results in a judgment in favor of the party perpetrating the fraud compare extrinsic fraud in this entry
— legal fraud
: constructive fraud in this entry
: actual fraud in this entry —used especially in New Jersey
— mail fraud
: fraud committed by use of the postal service especially as described in title 18 section 1341 of the U.S. Code
— wire fraud
: fraud committed by using a means of electronic communication (as a telephone) see also Wire Fraud Act
fraud
noun
1
as in scam
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value thousands of people lost money when the investment scheme turned out to be a fraud Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- scam
- swindle
- hoax
- con
- flimflam
- scheme
- sting
- shell game
- bunco
- hustle
- bunko
- device
- counterfeit
- fiddle
- forgery
- trick
- racket
- cross
- overcharging
- fake
- pyramid scheme
- rip-off
- stratagem
- sham
- fix
- phony
- gouging
- ploy
- dodge
- Ponzi scheme
- jig
- gimmick
- wile
- sleight
- phoney
- soaking
- humbug
- three-card monte
- thimblerig
2
as in fake
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise the "blind" panhandler was just a fraud trying to con holiday shoppers out of their money Synonyms & Similar Words
- fake
- sham
- pretender
- charlatan
- deceiver
- misleader
- phony
- impostor
- faker
- quack
- imposter
- counterfeiter
- mountebank
- phoney
- hoaxer
- operator
- actor
- humbug
- ringer
- quacksalver
- fakir
- defrauder
- copycat
- fraudster
- sharper
- swindler
- scammer
- dissembler
- scamster
- mimic
- imitator
- trickster
- impersonator
- skinner
- dodger
- poseur
- duper
- feigner
- bluffer
- cozener
- sharpie
- sharpy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- expert
- authority
- past master
- professional
- master
- virtuoso
- wizard
- maestro
- adept
- crackajack
- whiz
- ace
- crackerjack
3
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery charges that he had gained control of his elderly mother's estate by fraud Synonyms & Similar Words
- deception
- deceit
- cheating
- deceptiveness
- deceitfulness
- cunning
- lying
- dishonesty
- duplicity
- fakery
- fraudulence
- crookedness
- secrecy
- dissimulation
- dissembling
- crookery
- cozenage
- dupery
- guile
- craftiness
- swindling
- craft
- double-dealing
- cunningness
- chicanery
- subterfuge
- artifice
- wiliness
- trickery
- prevarication
- skulduggery
- hypocrisy
- guilefulness
- mendacity
- foxiness
- skullduggery
- insincerity
- equivocation
- jugglery
- artfulness
- falsehood
- underhandedness
- untruth
- fib
- legerdemain
- obliquity
- wile
- deviousness
- unscrupulousness
- shadiness
- chicane
- shrewdness
- hanky-panky
- falsity
- treacherousness
- sanctimoniousness
- caginess
- sneakiness
- mountebankery
- furtiveness
- cageyness
- covertness
- two-facedness
- shiftiness
- slyness
- slipperiness
- stealthiness
- smoothness
- oiliness
- slickness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sincerity
- artlessness
- ingenuousness
- guilelessness
- frankness
- openness
- forthrightness
- honesty
- candor
- reliability
- probity
- good faith
- trustworthiness
- integrity
- directness
- plainness
- candidness
- truthfulness
- solidity
- dependability
- goodness
- righteousness
- plainspokenness
- incorruptibility
- trustiness
- trustability
- virtuousness
- decency
- uprightness
- reliableness
Synonym Chooser
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
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
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
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
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
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