defraud
Americanverb (used with object)
-
defrauds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
defrauded,
past participle, past
-
defrauding
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
defraudsimple
-
defraudssimple
-
have defraudedperfect
-
has defraudedperfect
-
am defraudingprogressive
-
are defraudingprogressive
-
is defraudingprogressive
-
have been defraudingperfect progressive
-
has been defraudingperfect progressive
Past
-
defraudedsimple
-
had defraudedperfect
-
was defraudingprogressive
-
were defraudingprogressive
-
had been defraudingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of defraud
1325–75; Middle English defrauden < Old French defrauder < Latin dēfraudāre, equivalent to dē- de- + fraudāre to cheat; see fraud
Explanation
To defraud is to con someone out of money. Defrauding is a sneaky crime. If you know that a fraud is some kind of a scam, then you're on the way to understanding what defraud means. If someone defrauds you, they are cheating you out of money. Ponzi schemes—also known as pyramid schemes—are a type of defrauding. A guy trying to sell you a bridge is a type of defrauding, as is a foreign prince asking for money via email. Be wary!
Vocabulary lists containing defraud
A Polar "Vortex" and a "Mercurial" Basketball Star: Ten Words in the News You Need to Know
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!
Trash
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
By the Great Horn Spoon!
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!
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.
See Examples For:
Zadrozny, of Stanton Hill, was accused of setting up a fake heritage group to defraud Nottinghamshire County Council out of thousands of pounds.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Unless you actually set out to defraud the insurer, the company may not cancel your coverage even if you made a mistake on your application.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 12, 2026
Bannon entered a guilty plea in a Manhattan court to a first degree scheme to defraud charge and received a sentence of conditional discharge for three years.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
Months later, he filed a lawsuit alleging defamation and said CNN had perpetrated “a deliberate scheme to defraud its own audience.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Ned was unaware of the existence of these debts and believed the creditors were trying to defraud him—until they presented documents signed by the previous owner, H. H. Holmes.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Garner Food Co. defrauds customers with its name and lone star logo on the iconic brand.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2022
White-collar crime undermines the rule of law, defrauds victims, and disrupts the marketplace.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2018
If a senator, Cabinet secretary, or federal judge assaults or defrauds another citizen in violation of state law, he or she cannot claim immunity based on occupation of a federal office.
From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2017
“If a large brokerage firm defrauds you, at least they have the money to pay you back,” said Brian Smiley, an Atlanta- based securities lawyer.
From BusinessWeek ● Jul. 6, 2011
While rival undertakers hover round, And with his spade the sexton marks the ground, Intent not on her own, but others' doom, She plans new conquests, and defrauds the tomb.
From The Poetical Works of Edward Young, Volume 2 by Edward Young
A digital media founder was ordered to repay defrauded investors $36 million.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
At their first meeting, he learned that the client, who was in her late 60s and showed no signs of cognitive decline, had been previously defrauded out of $20,000.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
In all, prosecutors said more than 40 victims were defrauded of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
As a result, the five investors argue, they were defrauded of the nearly $1.2m they invested.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
“It was the product you were selling. And what you produced was not love. It was fake love. You defrauded us. It’s clear. Your heart rates no longer rise when you see each other.”
From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson
Holmes was convicted in 2022 of defrauding investors in her failed blood-testing company and sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Earlier this year, a court in Estonia convicted Yermolayev's son, Artur, of defrauding its citizens out of millions of euros through such "offisy", as the scam networks are known in Ukraine.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The government charged Kao in two separate cases: one for defrauding the loan program and another for his campaign finance crimes.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
In May, Monk stood alongside Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott at a news conference announcing charges against nine Georgia inmates accused of defrauding more than 100 people of over $100,000.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
"Then he won't be defrauding anyone, and they can't rob him of his two ribbons because I have those."
From Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
