defraud Definition
- 1illegally obtain money from (someone) by deception
- 2to cheat someone or an organization by taking something valuable from them
Using defraud: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "defraud" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He was accused of defrauding the company of millions of dollars.
Example
The company was defrauded by a group of employees.
Example
She was found guilty of defrauding her clients.
defraud Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with defraud
to cheat the government out of money or resources
Example
He was sentenced to prison for defrauding the government.
Example
The con artist defrauded the elderly woman of her life savings.
defraud creditors
to cheat one's creditors by hiding assets or not paying debts
Example
The businessman was caught trying to defraud his creditors.
Origins of defraud
from Old French 'defrauder', from Latin 'fraudare', meaning 'to cheat'
Summary: defraud in Brief
To 'defraud' [dɪˈfrɔːd] means to illegally obtain money or valuables from someone by deception. It is often used in legal contexts, such as 'He was accused of defrauding the company of millions of dollars.' The verb can be followed by prepositions like 'of' or 'out of,' as in 'The con artist defrauded the elderly woman of her life savings.' Synonyms include 'cheat,' 'swindle,' and 'deceive.'