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social engineering

[ soh-shuhl en-juh-neer-ing ]
/ ˈsoʊ ʃəl ˌɛn dʒəˈnɪər ɪŋ /
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noun
Political Science. the manipulation of social beliefs and behaviors by public or private entities through legislation, policy, and investment.
a technique that uses psychological manipulation, fraud, or dishonesty to force people to disclose private personal or corporate information, or to take a particular action:Hackers are using social engineering to perpetrate phishing scams.
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Origin of social engineering

First recorded in 1895–1900

OTHER WORDS FROM social engineering

so·cial en·gi·neer, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use social engineering in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for social engineering

social engineering

noun
the manipulation of the social position and function of individuals in order to manage change in a society
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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