as in counterfeit
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
the skeleton of the purported ancient hominid turned out to be a hoax
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue
a skilled forger who hoaxed the art world into believing that the paintings were long-lost Vermeers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of hoax
James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Frauds, swindles, cons, scams, and deceptions — collectively known as hoaxes.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 10 June 2024
Such criticism has led some police to respond more aggressively to hoax school shooting calls.
—Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 5 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hoax
Noun
This isn’t the first time this hoax has gone viral on X, with one user sharing footage that appeared to show a Christ statue being installed in front of the White House on February 15.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Frauds, swindles, cons, scams, and deceptions — collectively known as hoaxes.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
Doxxed addresses have led to hoax 911 calls that prompted SWAT teams to raid victims’ homes.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 10 June 2024
Such criticism has led some police to respond more aggressively to hoax school shooting calls.
—Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 5 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hoax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoax
Noun
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The crime drama follows a small-time Chinatown luxury counterfeit dealer who enters a dangerous black-market underworld in order to fund a life of suburban respectability for her family.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
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While fake goods have exchanged hands in informal markets since ancient times, the growth of online marketplaces has contributed to the rise in counterfeits because of how easy online shopping and selling have become.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,Paige Tortorelli,
CNBC,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Maybe not that play exactly, just the fact USC would try to trick Notre Dame because the Trojans weren’t going to beat them conventionally.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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Poor Rosemary is tricked by those closest to her through what is quite literally a hellish pregnancy, culminating in an unforgettable ending and an enduring performance from a wide-eyed Farrow.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Using such authentication increases trust in genuine images, and undermines fakes.—
Nikita Ostrovsky,
Time,
20 Oct. 2025
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Farid warned that the growing prevalence of AI fakes in politics could have a corrosive effect.—
NPR,
NPR,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As Rolling Stone has previously reported, bogus images of classic rockers in hospitals or singing at the graves of other rockers have flooded the internet — fooling some fans in the process and provoking laughs in just as many.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025
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Ultimately, the quarterback fooled the Raiders and proceeded to take the snap and get the Chiefs a first down.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Included in the set are shams for your pillows and a duvet.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
22 Oct. 2025
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The set includes two shams and is available in eight pattern choices.—
Sheri Kaz,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Despite being deceived, Stone, who dated Garfield for four years, conceded that the actor's dedication to the secret was honorable.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Oct. 2025
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That’s 14 years of dreaming, dissolving, romanticizing, escaping, and sometimes deceiving ourselves.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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It was considered immoral to lie and the whole point of writing things down back then was to increase morality and improve society, so there really is no didactic history of forgery.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
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Hager previously said the man is under investigation for fraud, forgery and unlawful conduct involving interaction with minors.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Which, of course, is what happens on newspapers and that’s why all these things sound so phoney.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
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Infiniti is asked to play the put-upon daughter of a man-child father, a scared child, a phony among true believers, and eventually, a reluctant killer.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hoax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoax. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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