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
Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
The latest: Miami brands and local governments made up some creative hoaxes yesterday to celebrate April Fool's Day — and some of you believed them.
—Martin Vassolo, Axios, 2 Apr. 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
Edited clips circulated online, and a journalist reported the hoax as fact, seriously harming the client's business and reputation.
—Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
The latest: Miami brands and local governments made up some creative hoaxes yesterday to celebrate April Fool's Day — and some of you believed them.
—Martin Vassolo, Axios, 2 Apr. 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 ever-improving quality of counterfeits further threatens retail integrity and industry accountability.—
Cassell Ferere,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
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Heidt noted that the logo placement on a counterfeit may look off or that the logo may have a bleed.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA TODAY,
28 Nov. 2024
Verb
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In April, the comedian shared that he had been tricked by someone pretending to be the group’s manager while trying to arrange a bit involving actor Richard Kind and a pet tortoise.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
29 May 2025
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Attackers often trick users into unknowingly running malware this way. 4.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
29 May 2025
Noun
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Maybe the cows were fakes, or sold, moved somewhere or their tags were changed.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
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Unfortunately, we were deprived of all those fake idols getting played because players kept leaving the game with fakes in their pockets, socks, and bags.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Prosecco may be Italy’s most joyful export—bubbly, bright, and effortlessly charming—but don’t let its easygoing nature fool you.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
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Don't let his three Emmy nominations and his more than 10 million Instagram followers fool you, Pedro Pascal is a man of the people.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has been exposed as nothing more than a sham.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
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Despite a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russia beginning May 8, Ukraine has rejected it as a sham.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
Verb
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Their book has already generated a national debate about whether the White House deceived the public about the president’s condition and how Biden’s late exit from the race undermined the Democratic Party’s chances of stopping a second term for President Trump.—
Stephen Battaglio,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
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Although Bristol’s spring race may appear to have sparse crowds, this is somewhat deceiving.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Noun
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According to the attorney general, other charges included drug possession, evidence tampering and forgery.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
2 June 2025
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The Romans had laws against forgery in 80 BC, and people have been doctoring photos since the medium's invention.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 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 6 Jun. 2025.
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