defraud
Americanverb (used with object)
-
defrauds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
defrauded,
past participle, past
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defrauding
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
defraudsimple
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defraudssimple
-
have defraudedperfect
-
has defraudedperfect
-
am defraudingprogressive
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are defraudingprogressive
-
is defraudingprogressive
-
have been defraudingperfect progressive
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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
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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:
But EA barristers said it had a general power to bring private prosecutions, and alternatively that allegations of conspiracy to defraud were connected to its functions.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The district attorney said the text messages would help prove “that intent to defraud, that intent to commit money laundering, this intent to violate our conflict of interest laws.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026
In 2013, a woman referred to as Jane Doe opened an account at Bank of America at the direction of Epstein associates as part of a “plan to defraud immigration officials,” according to the lawsuit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
“This diminished capacity will send bad actors the message that there will not be enough cops on the beat if they attempt to defraud or exploit our commodity and derivative markets,” Schiff says.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
If this is done knowingly and with intent to defraud, this is an illegal con game.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
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
The man who takes three per cent. of the labor of another wrongfully defrauds as the man who takes fifty per cent.
From Usury A Scriptural, Ethical and Economic View by Calvin Elliott
Bush, 48, of Otley in West Yorkshire, was "preoccupied with his own enrichment", defrauded nearly 200 families out of £562,117 and "caused anguish and pain on a scale beyond comprehension", the judge said.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Investors who were defrauded out of more than £1m by a former Nasa scientist will get most of their money back.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
JPMorgan could recoup the legal fees if it proves it has been defrauded.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Also pending is a $175 million lawsuit against former associates, claiming they defrauded him and misappropriated his funds, jewelry, and private jet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 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
Linqto founder William Sarris has been charged with defrauding investors by allegedly marking up the prices of pre-IPO shares.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Current and former FAA officials said the practice is problematic—controllers may be on break, but could be needed in emergencies—and technically amounts to defrauding the U.S. government.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Mahender Makhijani, 44, of Corona del Mar, accused of defrauding an Arizona bank of nearly $100 million, was denied bail Monday after a multiday hearing sought by federal prosecutors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
A San Ysidro man is accused of a fake green card scheme, impersonating ICE agents and defrauding Orange County residents, prosecutors say.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
Facts enough have been disclosed to prove that the stockholders and directors of the Union Pacific company had formed a combination for the purpose of defrauding the government and the people.
From Monopolies and the People by D. C. Cloud
Definitions 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.
