ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fraudulent

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈfɹɔdʒəɫənt// UK //fɹˈɔːdjʊlənt// fraud·u·lent

adj. describing something that is done by lying or cheating, usually to get money or power. It is a formal way to say something is a scam or a fake.

adj. intended to deceive by means of trickery or falsehood, typically for illicit financial or personal gain. Often used in legal and financial contexts to describe documents, claims, or transactions.


SIMPLE

The bank blocked the fraudulent transaction immediately.

CONTEXTUAL

He was arrested after the police discovered he had been using fraudulent documents to claim government benefits.

COMPLEX

The investigation revealed a series of fraudulent accounting practices designed to inflate the company's stock price before the annual audit.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English fraudulent, from Old French fraudulent, from Latin fraudulentus, from fraus (“fraud”).

Usage

Commonly modifies nouns like 'claim', 'activity', 'scheme', or 'representation'.

Pitfall

He committed a fraudulent.He committed a fraud.Learners often confuse the adjective 'fraudulent' with the noun 'fraud'.

© 2026 English Reference