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
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Recent Examples of hoax
Ars Staff, ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
The document was a hoax—the work of a political satirist—but, as Tinline shows in this riveting history, it was taken seriously by numerous news outlets and by readers, even after it was exposed as a sham five years later.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Mimansa Verma, Quartz, 30 Mar. 2023
Related:Teen jailed after bomb threat hoax AirDropped to American Airlines passengers in El Paso The passenger was traveling with a companion and both were unharmed, though their clothes were soiled with food and wine.
—Dallas News, 2 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hoax
Noun
Don’t want forwarded messages about how climate change is a hoax?
—Ars Staff, ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
The document was a hoax—the work of a political satirist—but, as Tinline shows in this riveting history, it was taken seriously by numerous news outlets and by readers, even after it was exposed as a sham five years later.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Verb
Advertisement How aspiring Indian entrepreneurs and students were hoaxed in the quest for funding The World Startup Convention was originally scheduled for Jan. 14-16., before it was postponed to March 24-26.
—Mimansa Verma, Quartz, 30 Mar. 2023
Related:Teen jailed after bomb threat hoax AirDropped to American Airlines passengers in El Paso The passenger was traveling with a companion and both were unharmed, though their clothes were soiled with food and wine.
—Dallas News, 2 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hoax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoax
Noun
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The 516 counterfeit watches emulated brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier and others.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
8 May 2025
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The products in the TikTok videos could also be high-quality dupes and counterfeits, which Lululemon has previously tried to combat.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Their goal is to trick people into sharing their Medicare or Social Security number.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
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Life at the house seems more entertaining, but is that just a foolish fantasy designed to trick us into thinking that there is safe harbor somewhere?—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Fran Drescher also spoke out in favor of the bill, explaining how deep fakes have affected her image.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2025
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What makes a painting by a master so much better than a really good fake?—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Don’t let the name fool you: Apple TV+’s new science-fiction series Murderbot isn’t actually about a rampaging robot killing everything in sight, though Alexander Skarsgard’s SecUnit certainly ponders the idea from time to time.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
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One common jailbreak involved fooling ChatGPT by asking it to role-play as a different AI—one that had no rules and was allowed to write phishing e-mails.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
7 May 2025
Noun
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The set features an all-over stitched diamond pattern with neatly finished edges, curved corners, and matching shams for a cohesive look.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Apr. 2025
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Your order wouldn’t be complete without matching shams.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That hasn’t stopped Liverpool using him to distract and deceive opponents when free kicks are won, however.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
8 May 2025
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She was also found guilty of deceiving other officials about the man's identity.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 May 2025
Noun
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Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra was arrested on charges of felony forgery on Monday, May 19, by the Perrysburg Police Department, according to the Perrysburg school district.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
21 May 2025
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District Attorney Rachel Mitchell said Owens has been charged with seven counts of fraud, perjury, forgery and evidence tampering.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
7 May 2025
Noun
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For a Gen X-er raised on movies that skewered phonies and wannabes, the thought of being a poser was, in the end, far more offensive to his sensibilities than being potentially bland.—
Rachel Syme,
The New Yorker,
23 Dec. 2024
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The answer is important because being a phony is hard work.—
LaRae Quy,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Hoax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoax. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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