social engineering

[soh-shuhl en-juh-neer-ing] / ˈsoʊ ʃəl ˌɛn dʒəˈnɪər ɪŋ /

NOUN

applied social science

Synonyms

WEAK

social planning social work sociology

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Experts call this a type of fraud "social engineering" - where scammers dupe their victims using psychological manipulation, instilling fear and urgency.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Hackers more often break into companies using previously discovered bugs, or by stealing login credentials or using social engineering techniques.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

So far, the most common use of AI for hacking has been social engineering.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

The ramifications of the lost data could leave Americans susceptible to blackmail, coercion, social engineering or impersonation because the Social Security Administration has so much private and personal data, Borges said.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026

Mendax had a deep voice for his age; it would have been impossible to even contemplate social engineering without it.

From Underground by Dreyfus, Suelette