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
Relevance
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 Speyer, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
The hoax was so convincing that some media outlets initially reported it as genuine, prompting Adidas to hurriedly issue a clarification.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 3 Apr. 2026
The Hill, 25 July 2025
The Jussie Smollett hoax hate crime attack saga is set to be explored in a new documentary.
—Peter White, Deadline, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoax
Noun
Trump has derided climate change as a hoax for many years.
—James Speyer, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
The hoax was so convincing that some media outlets initially reported it as genuine, prompting Adidas to hurriedly issue a clarification.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
Robby Soave delivers radar on Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard suggesting that President Obama’s administration orchestrated Russiagate collusion hoax in 2016.
—The Hill, 25 July 2025
The Jussie Smollett hoax hate crime attack saga is set to be explored in a new documentary.
—Peter White, Deadline, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoax
Noun
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Greece, home to an extensive repository of cultural artifacts, has long contended with the proliferation of counterfeits and the looting of archaeological sites.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Superfakes is about 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.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Don’t let Sewanee, Tennessee’s, tiny size trick you into dismissing it.—
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
But in the end, the gang manages to trick Soldier Boy into going for an empty tube while Frenchie dons a gas mask and pours out the virus.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
McEnelly played defense the rest of the way, mixing in fakes where needed to keep Welsh at bay.—
Twin Cities,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2026
-
People may just give up on trying to sort the real from the fake.—
Nick Dothée,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The shark is a pleasing stand-in for a big bossy grownup, easily fooled.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Don’t be fooled by Morejón’s unsightly ERA.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The set includes shams, is made of cotton, and is filled with a hypoallergenic polyester blend that’s safe for those with sensitive skin.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
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Plus, the matching shams are also on sale in the outlet for a budget-friendly bedding update.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Swalwell apparently did an excellent job deceiving those around him, including some congressional and campaign staffers who’d known him for years and worked closely with the seven-term lawmaker, day in, day out.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The Mets have a responsibility to protect their players by not throwing them under the bus, but there are ways to do that without trying to convince people that their eyes are deceiving them.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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He was extradited to the state last Friday and charged with second-degree larceny and second-degree forgery, state police said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
14 Apr. 2026
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Florentino Antonio Diaz is facing 29 charges — including grand theft, scheme to defraud and forgery — in connection with a series of unauthorized wire transfers from the Wynwood BID general fund to his personal bank account, Rundle said.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The men who flocked to spring training sites were called scabs, cast as anti-union phonies.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Many of the top comments underneath a Rumble video teasing Bongino’s comeback painted him as a phony, as did some of the comments that viewers left under Monday’s show.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hoax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoax. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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