1
as in cheats
a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value
if it sounds too good to be true, you're probably dealing with a hoaxer in a boiler room somewhere
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in frauds
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
his college roommate turned out be a complete hoaxer and not the son of a wealthy shipping tycoon he said he was
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hoaxers
The film follows a Bigfoot hoax that goes horribly wrong in the middle of an actual Sasquatch hot spot, leading to a chaotic struggle between the hoaxers, investigators, and a supernatural force that defies explanation.
—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
Officials have received multiple letters claiming to be ransom notes—and seem to have spent much of their time attempting to discern which, if any, might be authentic, and which might be the work of hoaxers.
—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
Officials have received multiple letters claiming to be ransom notes—and seem to have spent much of their time attempting to discern which, if any, might be authentic, and which might be the work of hoaxers.
—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoaxers
Noun
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Migrant welfare cheats exposed!
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Iran lies, cheats, blusters and bullies.
Noun
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Lan, 69, built a sprawling real estate empire of luxury homes and commercial properties before she was accused of one of the biggest frauds in global history.
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Bankman-Fried was convicted of masterminding one of the largest financial frauds in history stemming from the collapse of the crypto-exchange FTX.
Noun
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Ukraine faces severe personnel shortages with around 200,000 military desertions and 2 million draft-dodgers, threatening its ability to sustain the war against Russia’s 2022 invasion.
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But my collection intentionally ignored the fraudulent exploits of billionaire heirs, tax dodgers and corporate magnates — defense contracts, government lobbying, bank accounts in Switzerland, shell companies in Panama, citizenship of Antigua and political asylum in London.
Noun
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Maclean’s work traffics in deep fakes and glitch aesthetics, rainbow cuteness and the tropes of pulp—but these are set against violent dystopias and a world of cruelties borne, especially, by women (see her 2018 video Make Me Up as an example).
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Thirty-four years having passed since the last go-round, we are treated to such modern advances as catfishing, drones, deep fakes, social media and pushy true-crime podcasters.
Noun
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The waters off Staniel Cay hold coral reefs and shipwrecks, and are home to a range of wildlife including sea turtles, stingrays and sharks.
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At the same time, there when sharks and people share shallow coastal zones, clarity of the water matters for how both predators and humans perceive each other.
Cite this Entry
“Hoaxers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoaxers. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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