noun

fraud

/frɔːd/ · say it: frawd

deception intended to result in unlawful gain

In more detail

1. (noun) a crime in which someone deliberately deceives or tricks people in order to get money or something valuable illegally

2. (noun) a person who pretends to be someone they are not in order to deceive others

Examples

1. The company was accused of fraud for lying about the safety of its products.
2. The man claiming to be a doctor was exposed as a fraud when he couldn't explain basic medical procedures.

How to use fraud

Fraud is a legal and formal term referring to deliberate deception for material gain or unlawful advantage. It carries a serious, criminal connotation and is commonly used in legal, financial, and official contexts. Unlike 'lie' (a simple untruth), fraud involves systematic deception; unlike 'mistake', it involves intentional wrongdoing.

Common phrases

commit fraud
detect fraud
fraud detection
fraud prevention
fall victim to fraud
perpetrate fraud

Synonyms

deception · scam · con · swindle · deceit

Opposites

honesty · authenticity · legitimacy

Word family

fraudster · fraudulent · fraudulently

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use 'fraud' as an adjective (incorrect: 'a fraud scheme') instead of using the adjective form 'fraudulent' (correct: 'a fraudulent scheme').

Learn it for good

Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.

Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD