spoof

1 of 2

verb

ˈspüf 

spoofed; spoofing; spoofs

transitive verb

1

: deceive, hoax

2

: to make good-natured fun of

spoof

2 of 2

noun

1

: hoax, deception

2

: a light humorous parody

spoofery

ˈspü-f(ə-)rē 

noun

spoofy

ˈspü-fē 

adjective

Synonyms

Verb

• burlesque
• caricature
• do
• imitate
• mimic
• mock
• parody
• send up
• travesty

Noun

• burlesque
• caricature
• parody
• put-on
• rib
• send-up
• takeoff
• travesty

Examples of spoof in a Sentence

Verb

spoofed overly competitive parents in a mockumentary about tryouts for a national T-ball team

the newspaper was spoofed by a supposedly plausible claim of a UFO encounter

Noun

many viewers thought that the spoof of a television newscast was the real thing

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Shawn and Marlon also became known for their roles in White Chicks and the Scary Movie franchise, which spoofed popular horror films. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025

Will the fight against spoofing always be an arms race? —IEEE Spectrum, 29 Dec. 2024

Noun

Eddie got his break back in the day doing a spoof of the Gong Show, and our neighborhood bar Mr. Hick’s Place in Roosevelt would throw these Gong Show contests. —Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2024

Chef’s Table, Volume 7 If there’s any doubt about Chef’s Table’s impact on the cultural zeitgeist, let alone food TV, The Simpsons provided an exclamation point with a pitch-perfect spoof that aired in the weeks after the release of the latest season. —Karen Yuan, Bon Appétit, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Spoof, a hoaxing game invented by Arthur Roberts †1933 English comedian

First Known Use

Verb

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spoof

verb

ˈspüf

: to make good-natured fun of

spoof noun