Fleecing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun

Meaning & Definition of Fleecing

Fleecing (verb)

  1. to strip of money or property by fraud or extortion
  2. to charge excessively for goods or services
  3. to remove the fleece from, shear

Fleecing (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the exaction of a grossly excessive charge for goods or services

    "the fleecing of the summer tourists seems to be a time-honored tradition on that resort island"

    similar: extortion, gouging, highway robbery, overcharging
    related: cheating, chiseling, defrauding, skinning, swindling

Fleecing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to rob by the use of trickery or threats

    "swindlers who use the telephone to fleece senior citizens out of their savings"

    similar: beating, bilking, bleeding, cheating, chiseling, chousing, conning, cozening, defrauding, diddling, doing, doing in, euchring, fiddling, flimflamming, gaffing, hosing (slang), hustling, mulcting, nobbling (British slang), plucking, reaming, ripping off, rooking, screwing, shaking down, shortchanging, shorting, skinning, skunking, squeezing, sticking, stiffing, stinging, suckering, swindling, thimblerigging, victimizing, selling a bill of goods to, taking for a ride, taking to the cleaners
    related: extorting, wrenching, wresting, wringing, clipping, gouging, nicking, overcharging, soaking, exploiting, milking, deceiving, duping, fooling, gulling, tricking, roping (in), betraying, bitching, double-crossing, bamboozling, fast-talking

Related Entry: Fleece (verb)

Fleece is a different word from Fleecing. The synonyms below are for fleece, not for fleecing.

  1. to rob by the use of trickery or threats

    "swindlers who use the telephone to fleece senior citizens out of their savings"

    similar: beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chisel, chouse, con, cozen, defraud, diddle, do, do in, euchre, fiddle, flimflam, gaff, 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, sell a bill of goods to, take for a ride, take to the cleaners
    related: extort, wrench, wrest, wring, clip, gouge, nick, overcharge, soak, exploit, milk, deceive, dupe, fool, gull, trick, rope (in), betray, bitch, double-cross, bamboozle, fast-talk

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Fleecing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Fleecing:

Slang: hosing
British slang: nobbling
extortion, gouging, highway robbery, overcharging, beating, bilking, bleeding, cheating, chiseling, chousing, conning, cozening, defrauding, diddling, doing, doing in, euchring, fiddling, flimflamming, gaffing, hustling, mulcting, plucking, reaming, ripping off, rooking, screwing, shaking down, shortchanging, shorting, skinning, skunking, squeezing, sticking, stiffing, stinging, suckering, swindling, thimblerigging, victimizing

Related Words for Fleecing

extorting, wrenching, wresting, wringing, clipping, nicking, soaking, exploiting, milking, deceiving, duping, fooling, gulling, tricking, roping (in), betraying, bitching, double-crossing, bamboozling, fast-talking

Word Forms of Fleecing

Inflections: fleeced

Origin & Etymology of Fleecing

First known use: 1537

Frequently Asked Questions about Fleecing

What does "Fleecing" mean?

"Fleecing" means to strip of money or property by fraud or extortion. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to strip of money or property by fraud or extortion. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Fleecing"?

Other words for "Fleecing" include extortion, gouging, highway robbery, overcharging, beating, bilking, bleeding and cheating. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Fleecing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Fleecing"?

There are 65 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Fleecing". Common alternatives include extortion, gouging, highway robbery, overcharging, beating, bilking, bleeding, cheating, chiseling and chousing.

How do you use "Fleecing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Fleecing" in a sentence: "the fleecing of the summer tourists seems to be a time-honored tradition on that resort island"; "swindlers who use the telephone to fleece senior citizens out of their savings".

Is "Fleecing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Fleecing" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

What is the origin of the word "Fleecing"?

First known use: 1537.

What is another word for "Fleecing" meaning "the exaction of a grossly excessive charge for goods or services"?

When "Fleecing" (noun) means the exaction of a grossly excessive charge for goods or services, synonyms include extortion, gouging, highway robbery and overcharging.

What is another word for "Fleecing" meaning "to rob by the use of trickery or threats"?

When "Fleecing" (verb) means to rob by the use of trickery or threats, synonyms include beating, bilking, bleeding, cheating, chiseling and chousing.