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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of hoax
The Hill, 21 Nov. 2024
Jones’ bankruptcy stems from his obligation to pay $1.5 billion in damages to families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, who filed defamation lawsuits over his false claims that the massacre was a hoax.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2024
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
Robby Soave and Niall Stanage react to Illinois Supreme Court overturned Jussie Smollett’s conviction iin his hate crime hoax.
—The Hill, 21 Nov. 2024
Jones’ bankruptcy stems from his obligation to pay $1.5 billion in damages to families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, who filed defamation lawsuits over his false claims that the massacre was a hoax.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2024
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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What happens when people discover they were made to revere counterfeits?Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
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When scanned, the EON platform uses artificial intelligence alongside this data to evaluate implicit and explicit information in real-time, delivering accurate authentication and detecting counterfeits.Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Scammers are getting better at tricking email users, that much is as clear as the Apple logo and typography in Polderman’s video.Zak Doffman, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
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But scammers are looking for their piece of the pie, tricking consumers into fraudulent purchases or gaining access to their funds.Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In this essay for The Paris Review, Simon Wu recounts his experiences pining after, and eventually buying, six designer handbags: some real, some real but used, and one fake.Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 17 Dec. 2024
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The 49ers began the game with Purdy exclusively under center, and his play-action fakes to Guerendo created plenty of comfortable throws against the Bears’ defense.Kevin Fishbain, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Don’t be fooled by its small appearance, though — this beauty can hold up to a week’s worth of clothes.Jasmine Grant, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2024
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The passenger initially gave deputies a fake name and a 2012 birth date, but they were not fooled by this alibi as the woman appeared older, according to the Sheriff’s Office.Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The accused and accuser, for their part, might have reason to question the partiality of an investigation conducted in house and whether the inquiry is a sham done to protect the employer.Gabriella Levine, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
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The three-piece set is available in silver or beige and includes two matching standard pillow shams.Ali Faccenda, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Mangione is also charged with using a forged instrument to deceive or injure another person.Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
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The dogs and the customs agents at Dulles Airport were not deceived.Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Mangione is also facing charges in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested, including forgery and allegedly possessing an unlicensed firearm.Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 23 Dec. 2024
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In July, Mellor referred Wright to prosecutors to consider criminal charges of perjury and forgery.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 20 Dec. 2024
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
Thesaurus Entries Near hoax
Cite this Entry
“Hoax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoax. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.
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