Fraud — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈfrȯd/

Meaning & Definition of Fraud

Fraud (noun)

  1. deceit, trickery; specifically, an act, expression, omission, or concealment calculated to induce another to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right
  2. an act of deceiving or misrepresenting, trick
  3. a person who is not who they pretend to be, impostor; also, one who defrauds, cheat

Fraud (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value

    "thousands of people lost money when the investment scheme turned out to be a fraud"

    similar: bunco, con, fiddle (chiefly British), flimflam, hustle, scam, shell game, sting, swindle
    related: cross, fix, Ponzi scheme, pyramid scheme, racket, rip-off, thimblerig, three-card monte, device, dodge, gimmick, jig, ploy, scheme, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile, gouging, overcharging, soaking, counterfeit, fake, forgery, hoax, humbug, phony, sham

  2. one who makes false claims of identity or expertise

    "the blind panhandler was just a fraud trying to con holiday shoppers out of their money"

    similar: charlatan, fake, faker, fakir, hoaxer, humbug, impostor, mountebank, phony, pretender, quack, quacksalver, ringer, sham
    related: copycat, imitator, impersonator, mimic, actor, bluffer, counterfeiter, deceiver, dissembler, duper, feigner, misleader, operator, trickster, poseur, cozener, defrauder, dodger, fraudster (chiefly British), scammer, scamster, sharper, sharpie, skinner, swindler
    near: ace, adept, authority, crackerjack, expert, maestro, master, past master, professional, virtuoso, whiz, wizard

  3. the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery

    "charges that he had gained control of his elderly mother's estate by fraud"

    similar: artifice, cheating, cozenage, craft, craftiness, crookedness, crookery, cunning, cunningness, deceit, deceitfulness, deception, deceptiveness, dishonesty, dissembling, dissimulation, double-dealing, dupery, duplicity, fakery, foxiness, guile, guilefulness, wiliness
    related: equivocation, lying, mendacity, prevarication, chicane, chicanery, fraudulence, hanky-panky, jugglery, legerdemain, mountebankery, obliquity, skulduggery, subterfuge, swindling, trickery, wile, falsehood, falsity, fib, untruth, hypocrisy, insincerity, sanctimoniousness, two-facedness, artfulness, caginess, deviousness, shrewdness, treacherousness, underhandedness, unscrupulousness, covertness, furtiveness, secrecy, shadiness, sneakiness, stealthiness, oiliness, shiftiness, slickness, slipperiness, slyness, smoothness
    opposite: artlessness, forthrightness, good faith, guilelessness, ingenuousness, sincerity
    near: candidness, candor, directness, frankness, openness, plainness, plainspokenness, honesty, probity, dependability, reliability, reliableness, solidity, trustability, trustiness, trustworthiness, decency, goodness, incorruptibility, integrity, righteousness, truthfulness, uprightness, virtuousness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Fraud

The most common words with a similar meaning to Fraud:

Chiefly British: fiddle
bunco, con, flimflam, hustle, scam, shell game, sting, swindle, charlatan, fake, faker, fakir, hoaxer, humbug, impostor, mountebank, phony, pretender, quack, quacksalver, ringer, sham, artifice, cheating, cozenage, craft, craftiness, crookedness, crookery, cunning, cunningness, deceit, deceitfulness, deception, deceptiveness, dishonesty, dissembling, dissimulation, double-dealing, dupery

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Fraud

Words with the opposite meaning of Fraud:

artlessness, forthrightness, good faith, guilelessness, ingenuousness, sincerity

Related Words for Fraud

cross, fix, Ponzi scheme, pyramid scheme, racket, rip-off, thimblerig, three-card monte, device, dodge, gimmick, jig, ploy, scheme, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile, gouging, overcharging, soaking, counterfeit, forgery, hoax, copycat, imitator, impersonator, mimic, actor, bluffer

Near Antonyms of Fraud

ace, adept, authority, crackerjack, expert, maestro, master, past master, professional, virtuoso, whiz, wizard, candidness, candor, directness, frankness, openness, plainness, plainspokenness, honesty, probity, dependability, reliability, reliableness, solidity, trustability, trustiness, trustworthiness, decency, goodness

Origin & Etymology of Fraud

Middle English fraude, from Anglo-French, from Latin fraud-, fraus

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Fraud

Words & Phrases Containing Fraud

anti-fraud, click fraud, wire fraud

Frequently Asked Questions about Fraud

What does "Fraud" mean?

"Fraud" means deceit, trickery; specifically, an act, expression, omission, or concealment calculated to induce another to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right. As a noun, it is defined as: deceit, trickery; specifically, an act, expression, omission, or concealment calculated to induce another to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Fraud"?

Other words for "Fraud" include bunco, con, fiddle, flimflam, hustle, scam, shell game and sting. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Fraud" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Fraud"?

There are 139 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Fraud". Common alternatives include bunco, con, fiddle, flimflam, hustle, scam, shell game, sting, swindle and charlatan.

What is the opposite of "Fraud"?

Antonyms of "Fraud" include artlessness, forthrightness, good faith, guilelessness, ingenuousness and sincerity. Near antonyms include ace, adept, authority and crackerjack.

How do you use "Fraud" in a sentence?

Examples of "Fraud" in a sentence: "thousands of people lost money when the investment scheme turned out to be a fraud"; "the blind panhandler was just a fraud trying to con holiday shoppers out of their money"; "charges that he had gained control of his elderly mother's estate by fraud".

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

"Fraud" is a noun.

Is "Fraud" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Fraud" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Fraud"?

"Fraud" is pronounced /ˈfrȯd/.