as in cheated
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
an investigation revealed that the garage had been bilking motorists for repairs that had never been made
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of bilked
Twenty-one people are facing charges as part of a massive hospice fraud scheme that prosecutors say bilked California’s medical system out of $267 million.
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Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Authorities arrested eight people accused of conducting a series of health care fraud schemes that bilked tens of millions of dollars from Medicare and other insurance companies across Southern California, prosecutors announced April 2.
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Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
In total, prosecutors say the fraud scheme bilked the program out of more than $250 million.
—
Wcco Staff,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, California continued blowing money on a high-speed rail project that is years behind schedule and billions over budget, was bilked for billions in fraud, and funded an anti-homelessness bureaucracy with no accountability, among other things.
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Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
We, too, are horrified by the betrayal of America’s social safety-net systems perpetrated by dozens of individuals in Minnesota who bilked at least $1 billion from taxpayers for non-existent services and clients.
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The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
20 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors say criminals also bilked millions of dollars from Minnesota’s Housing Stabilization Services program — which pays for help finding and keeping housing — as well as the state’s autism-services program by billing for appointments, therapy and casework that never took place.
—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
7 Dec. 2025
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Authorities arrested eight people accused of conducting a series of health care fraud schemes that bilked tens of millions of dollars from Medicare and other insurance companies across Southern California, prosecutors announced April 2.
—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
In total, prosecutors say the fraud scheme bilked the program out of more than $250 million.
—
Wcco Staff,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, California continued blowing money on a high-speed rail project that is years behind schedule and billions over budget, was bilked for billions in fraud, and funded an anti-homelessness bureaucracy with no accountability, among other things.
—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
We, too, are horrified by the betrayal of America’s social safety-net systems perpetrated by dozens of individuals in Minnesota who bilked at least $1 billion from taxpayers for non-existent services and clients.
—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
20 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors say criminals also bilked millions of dollars from Minnesota’s Housing Stabilization Services program — which pays for help finding and keeping housing — as well as the state’s autism-services program by billing for appointments, therapy and casework that never took place.
—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
7 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bilked
Verb
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Revote to be held in Hempstead Candidate Caprice Rines said she and the two others vying for the seat have been cheated.
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The fans were cheated Sunday out of a chance to see an interesting pitching matchup between Shota Imanaga and Dylan Cease, the former Cubs farmhand and former White Sox pitcher.
Verb
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On the walls, black-and-white printouts of newspaper articles, magazines and book pages looked like they were plucked from a Pinterest board on scrapbooking.
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Despite his young age, the then 36-year-old was far from a nobody plucked from the ether, though.
Verb
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The few that didn’t have hustled to catch up.
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The first inning looked promising as Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda singled, and Cedric Mullins hustled his bunt attempt into a hit to load the bases.
Verb
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Democrats are still stung by Rogan’s nearly three-hour Trump interview in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign.
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Having dominated most of his players in table tennis over the years, Gadowsky is still stung after meeting his match.
Verb
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The performance uptick that Motorola squeezed from the 2026 Razr+ is minor at best, with results showing no significant year-over-year gains.
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There was Paris squeezed between meetings on a fleeting work trip.
Verb
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According to court records, between July 2024 and August 2025, the brothers and unnamed co-conspirators orchestrated an identity theft ring that defrauded SNAP programs in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states.
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The charge alleges a person knowingly defrauded another by using false or misleading information to obtain money, property, credit or a loan.
Verb
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Either Cody or Gunther wins because Sami gets screwed; Zayn will then further descend into madness and attack someone after the bell.
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With Dumb Money, also directed by Gillespie, Rogen played businessman Gabe Plotkin, who got screwed in the GameStop stock drama.
Verb
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While the men whom Chen allegedly swindled began to grow suspicious of her actions around 2024, the Clark County Marriage Bureau reported her to the police, resulting in the launch of an investigation around the same time.
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Aller swindled deal after deal on 2022 draft night, garnering future draft picks and getting off enough salary to sign Brunson and more.
Cite this Entry
“Bilked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bilked. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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