as in counterfeits
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 tricks
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 hoaxes
Scott Neuman, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
Despite the relief of being safe, the effects of these hoaxes endure.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2025
In turn, the Koch brothers supported climate denial think tanks, while Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch’s Fox News nightly broadcasts worked overtime to convince Americans that both climate change and COVID-19 were hoaxes or that vaccines were ineffective or unsafe.
—Michael E. Mann, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
The apparent hoaxes come amid heightened concern over campus safety following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
While these hoaxes mostly ended up being false alarms, experts note that these types of hoaxes are not only a serious crime with substantial penalties for those involved but can also put first responders and bystanders at risk.
—ABC News, 12 Sep. 2025
The bureau warned that these hoaxes not only waste law enforcement time and resources but also endanger lives.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2025
During swatting hoaxes, school officials usually have no idea there is a threat until police officers start showing up.
—Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
In almost all the cases, police and administrators said the reports were hoaxes or swatting calls, which is when someone uses temporary cellphone numbers and voice-cloaking apps to create havoc.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
Frauds, swindles, cons, scams, and deceptions — collectively known as hoaxes.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
Despite the relief of being safe, the effects of these hoaxes endure.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2025
In turn, the Koch brothers supported climate denial think tanks, while Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch’s Fox News nightly broadcasts worked overtime to convince Americans that both climate change and COVID-19 were hoaxes or that vaccines were ineffective or unsafe.
—Michael E. Mann, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
The apparent hoaxes come amid heightened concern over campus safety following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
While these hoaxes mostly ended up being false alarms, experts note that these types of hoaxes are not only a serious crime with substantial penalties for those involved but can also put first responders and bystanders at risk.
—ABC News, 12 Sep. 2025
The bureau warned that these hoaxes not only waste law enforcement time and resources but also endanger lives.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2025
During swatting hoaxes, school officials usually have no idea there is a threat until police officers start showing up.
—Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
In almost all the cases, police and administrators said the reports were hoaxes or swatting calls, which is when someone uses temporary cellphone numbers and voice-cloaking apps to create havoc.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoaxes
Noun
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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
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Marq Vision was cofounded in 2020 by Mark Lee, a former McKinsey consultant who holds a Doctor of Law from Harvard, to identify counterfeits in online listings using AI.—
Zinnia Lee,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Still, nothing tricks us into the spirit of autumn quite like scent.—
Raquel Reichard,
Refinery29,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The interference has included both jamming—overpowering communications with strong radio signals—and spoofing, which tricks receivers into misreading their location or even the time.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
While genuine antiques from the Ming dynasty can fetch millions at auction, many later reproductions and export pieces from the 18th to 20th centuries still carry significant value.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In all such cases, experts have worried that, although such disinformation might ultimately be corrected, there might not be sufficient time to get the word out, especially if AI fakes are disseminated very close to a key electoral moment — a kind of last-minute surprise.—
John Wihbey,
Big Think,
7 Oct. 2025
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The Patriots used motion to set up fakes and trick the Panthers defense, and for the most part, the illusions paid off.—
Mike Kaye
September 28,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The letters, provided by Lex Cusack, had turned out to be forgeries, and Hersh was criticized for having had anything to do with them.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
29 Aug. 2025
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This can get tricky quickly for employers, many of whom aren’t necessarily trained to spot complicated forgeries.—
Dave Boucher,
Freep.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
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There are a dozen books in the main series as well as a three-book spin off series — counting all of them, the books have sold more than three million copies worldwide.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Oct. 2025
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Over the summer, the DOJ asked the South Carolina Election Commission for copies of the state's voter registration list.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hoaxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoaxes. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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