fraudulent

adjective

fraud·​u·​lent ˈfrȯ-jə-lənt 

: characterized by, based on, or done by fraud : deceitful

fraudulent use of a credit card

fraudulent claims for unemployment compensation

—Wall Street Journal

fraudulently adverb

fraudulentness noun

Synonyms of fraudulent

• dishonest
• false
• deceptive

Examples of fraudulent in a Sentence

Corrupt leaders were chosen in a fraudulent election.

fraudulent use of a credit card

the victim of a fraudulent scheme

Recent Examples on the Web

Rush’s fraudulent conduct cost the federal government approximately $194 million in total losses, according to the Justice Department. — Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Some defendants face additional allegations involving false claims of citizenship or fraudulent statements that rest on separate federal statutes. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026

Could a fraudulent rock, a substitute, become real through the worship of multitudes? — Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026

Just remember that no alert service literally locks a title or guarantees that a fraudulent document cannot be filed. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

fraudulent

adjective

fraud·​u·​lent ˈfrȯ-jə-lənt 

: based on or done by fraud

fraudulently adverb

fraudulentness noun

Legal Definition

fraudulent

adjective

fraud·​u·​lent

: characterized by, based on, or done by fraud compare deceptive, false, misleading

fraudulently adverb