fraudulent
gb/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt/ us/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt/
C1
English
~ 8700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
involving illegal or dishonest deception
Using lies or tricks to get money, power, or other benefits in an illegal or very dishonest way.
Usage pattern:
fraudulent [activity/claim/transaction/document/behavior]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'fraudulent' (adjective) with 'fraud' (noun). Use 'fraudulent' before a noun, as in 'fraudulent activity' or 'fraudulent claim', and 'fraud' on its own, as in 'He committed fraud.' Another mistake is using 'fraudulent' in casual contexts where 'fake' or 'not true' would be more natural, since 'fraudulent' usually suggests serious or legal wrongdoing.
Synonyms
deceptive (More general; does not always imply illegality or financial crime.)
|
dishonest (Broader term for lack of honesty; less specifically tied to financial or legal wrongdoing.)
|
fake (Informal; focuses on something not real or genuine, without emphasizing the legal aspect.)
Antonyms
legitimate (Stresses that something is legal, proper, and officially acceptable.)
|
genuine (Highlights that something is real and not made to deceive others.)
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honest (Focuses on moral correctness and not lying or cheating.)
Collocations
fraudulent activity
|fraudulent claim
|fraudulent scheme
|fraudulent transaction
|fraudulent behavior
|fraudulent misrepresentation
Themes
law
|business
|crime
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The company was fined for submitting fraudulent invoices to the government.
- Investigators uncovered a fraudulent scheme to steal customers’ credit card details.
- She was charged with making a fraudulent insurance claim after staging the accident.
- The bank flagged the payment as a potentially fraudulent transaction.
- They accused the politician of winning the election through fraudulent practices.
Learner examples
- He went to jail for his fraudulent business activities.
- The police are looking into several fraudulent online payments.
- The lawyer said the contract was fraudulent and not valid.
- The company lost money because of a fraudulent email scam.
- The court decided that the documents were fraudulent.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fraudulent
IPA
GB/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt/
US/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt/
Syllables & stress
fraud - u - lent (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fraud)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: fraudulent
Word family
Core family
fraud
noun B2
fraudulently
adverb
Related words
defraud
verb C1
fraudster
noun
Negative and opposite forms
non-fraudulent
adjective
Advanced or less common
fraudulence
noun C1
Expressions
fraudulent activity
1/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt æktˈɪvɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
illegal or dishonest deceptive actions
Illegal or very dishonest actions that use lies or tricks to get money or other benefits.
Examples
- The bank monitors customer accounts for any fraudulent activity.
- New laws were introduced to combat fraudulent activity in the insurance industry.
fraudulent behavior
1/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt bɪhˈeɪvjɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
pattern of acting with fraud
A way of acting that often uses lies or tricks to cheat people or break the law.
Examples
- The audit revealed a long history of fraudulent behavior by senior staff.
- Employees are warned that any fraudulent behavior will result in immediate dismissal.
fraudulent claim
1/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt klˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
formal
dishonest or false request for payment
A request for money or benefits that is based on lies or false information.
Examples
- She was arrested for filing a fraudulent claim after exaggerating the damage to her car.
- Insurance companies investigate every suspicious case to prevent fraudulent claims.
fraudulent misrepresentation
1/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt mɪsɹˌɛpɹɪzɛntˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
intentional false statement in law
In law, a lie about an important fact that is told on purpose to make someone agree to a contract or deal.
Examples
- The buyer sued the seller for fraudulent misrepresentation of the property’s condition.
- Fraudulent misrepresentation can make a contract void in many legal systems.
fraudulent scheme
1/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt skˈim/
fixed phrase
formal
planned illegal deception for profit
A planned way of cheating people, usually to steal money from them.
Examples
- Several executives were involved in a fraudulent scheme to overstate the company’s profits.
- The email was part of a fraudulent scheme targeting elderly people.
fraudulent transaction
1/fɹˈɔd͡ʒələnt tɹænzˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
illegally deceptive financial operation
A payment or movement of money that is done using lies or without the real owner’s permission.
Examples
- Her bank card was blocked after several fraudulent transactions appeared on her account.
- The company must refund customers for any fraudulent transactions made with stolen cards.