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defraud

/dɪˈfrɑd/
/dɪˈfrɔd/
IPA guide

Other forms: defrauded; defrauding; defrauds

To defraud is to con someone out of money. Defrauding is a sneaky crime.

If you know that a fraud is some kind of a scam, then you're on the way to understanding what defraud means. If someone defrauds you, they are cheating you out of money. Ponzi schemes—also known as pyramid schemes—are a type of defrauding. A guy trying to sell you a bridge is a type of defrauding, as is a foreign prince asking for money via email. Be wary!

Definitions of defraud
  1. verb
    (offensive) deprive of by deceit
    “She defrauded the customers who trusted her”
    see moresee less
    types:
    short, short-change, shortchange
    cheat out of by giving back less money than is due to someone who has overpaid
    type of:
    cheat, chisel, rip off
    deprive somebody of something by deceit
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