Word
fraudulent
Phoneticsfraud·u·lent, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɹɔdʒəɫənt/
UK/fɹˈɔːdjʊlənt/
Definitions
01illegal or deceptive
C1 · Advanced Law Formal
adj. done to trick someone or steal money by lying.
adj. involving or characterized by intentional deception or fraud, especially for financial gain.
“The bank blocked his card after noticing several fraudulent transactions from another country.”
“The investigation revealed a series of fraudulent insurance claims that had cost the company millions of dollars over the last decade.”
Usage
Commonly used in legal and financial contexts to describe claims, activities, or documents.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse this with 'fake'. Use 'fraudulent' for actions or documents that break the law, and 'fake' for physical objects like toys or clothes.
Antonyms
02false or phony
C1 · Advanced Formal · Literary
adj. not real or not true, often used to describe a person's behavior or a fake item.
adj. lacking authenticity or being intentionally misleading; false in nature.
“He gave the police a fraudulent name to avoid being arrested.”
“The critic dismissed the artist's work as fraudulent, claiming it was merely a poor imitation of much better painters.”
Teaching tip
This sense is less about money and more about a lack of truth in character or appearance.
Real-World Examples
“Many Venezuelans are hopeful that the transition talks will lead to democratic elections, after Maduro’s claimed victories in the 2018 and 2024 elections were rejected as fraudulent by the opposition and many foreign countries.” “Data from Scamwatch shows Australians have lost more than $45m to fraudulent investment schemes in 2026 so far, after over $160m in reported losses in 2025.” “He has directly tracked some of these to fraudulent papers in the scientific literature.” “However, the team emphasized that papers identified by the system should not automatically be treated as fraudulent.” Etymology
From Middle English fraudulent, from Old French fraudulent, from Latin fraudulentus, from fraus (“fraud”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/fraudulent