defraud

verb de·fraud \di-ˈfrȯd, dē-\

: to trick or cheat someone or something in order to get money : to use fraud in order to get money from a person, an organization, etc.

Full Definition of DEFRAUD

transitive verb

: to deprive of something by deception or fraud

— de·fraud·er \di-ˈfrȯ-dər\ noun

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Origin of DEFRAUD

Middle English, from Anglo-French defrauder, from Latin defraudare, from de- + fraudare to cheat, from fraud-, fraus fraud

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to DEFRAUD

Synonyms: beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chisel, chouse, con, cozen, fleece, diddle, do, do in, euchre, fiddle, flimflam, gaff, gyp, hose [slang], hustle, mulct, nobble [British slang], pluck, ream, rip off, rook, screw, shake down, short, shortchange, skin, skunk, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, sucker, swindle, thimblerig, victimize

Synonym Discussion of DEFRAUD

cheat, cozen, defraud, swindle mean to get something by dishonesty or deception. cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation <cheated me out of a dollar>. cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose <always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars>. defraud stresses depriving one of his or her rights and usually connotes deliberate perversion of the truth <defrauded of her inheritance by an unscrupulous lawyer>. swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence <swindled of their savings by con artists>.