fraud

[frawd]

noun

1. deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.

2. a particular instance of such deceit or trickery.

   mail fraud; election frauds.

3. any deception, trickery, or humbug.

   That diet book is a fraud and a waste of time.

   Synonyms: hoax, wile

4. a person who makes deceitful pretenses; sham; poseur.

fraud

/ frɔːd /

noun

1. deliberate deception, trickery, or cheating intended to gain an advantage

2. an act or instance of such deception

3. something false or spurious

   his explanation was a fraud

4. informal,  a person who acts in a false or deceitful way

Other Word Forms

• fraudful adjective
• fraudfully adverb
• antifraud adjective
• prefraud noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fraud¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English fraude, from Old French, from Medieval Latin fraud-, stem of fraus “deceit, injury”

Word History and Origins

Origin of fraud¹

C14: from Old French fraude , from Latin fraus deception

Synonym Study

See duplicity.

Example Sentences

Department of Justice for prosecution for fraud or attempted fraud, and another 111 to state or local prosecutors.

Read more on MarketWatch

Afrinic had scheduled elections for a new board of directors in June, but a court-ordered receiver annulled the results due to allegations of fraud.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

However a Swansea Council fraud team followed Richards while he claimed to be ill and filmed him driving and going with a group of friends to play golf, the panel heard.

Read more on BBC

Justice Department for prosecution for fraud or attempted fraud, and another 111 to state or local prosecutors.

Read more on MarketWatch

Rachel Reeves said the government would be undertaking "additional enforcement activity on High Streets, focusing on illicit tobacco and vaping products", which would involve deploying 350 newly-recruited criminal investigators part of the fraud investigation team.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• blackmail 
• deceit 
• extortion 
• graft 
• hoax 
• misrepresentation 
• scam