fraud
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the crime of using tricks or lies to get money or property from someone.
the intentional use of deceit, trickery, or perversion of truth to induce another to part with something of value or a legal right.
Simple“The businessman was arrested for credit card fraud after stealing thousands of dollars.”
In context“The investigation uncovered a massive case of insurance fraud involving several high-ranking executives and a network of shell companies.”
UsageOften used uncountably to refer to the crime in general, or countably to refer to a specific instance.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a person who pretends to be someone else or to have skills they do not really have.
a person who is not what they pretend to be; an impostor or a charlatan.
Simple“He felt like a fraud when he realized he didn't know as much as the other experts.”
In context“Despite his expensive suit and confident manner, the board eventually realized he was a fraud with no actual medical degree.”
UsageUsed as a countable noun to describe an individual.
Teacher's tipThis sense is often used in a personal or social context to express a feeling of inadequacy, such as 'impostor syndrome'.
“As well as cyber-enabled fraud, the West African networks also participated in other serious and violent crimes, Interpol said.”
“The 32-year-old, who was arrested in a US airport while travelling with Farage, admitted a count of wire fraud in the US in 2017.”
From Middle English fraude (recorded since 1345), from Old French fraude, a borrowing from Latin fraus (“deceit, injury, offence”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.