spoof

1 of 2

verb

ˈspüf 

spoofed; spoofing; spoofs

transitive verb

1

: deceive, hoax

2

: to make good-natured fun of

spoof

2 of 2

noun

1

: hoax, deception

2

: a light humorous parody

spoofery

ˈspü-f(ə-)rē 

noun

spoofy

ˈspü-fē 

adjective

Synonyms

Verb

• burlesque
• caricature
• do
• imitate
• mimic
• mock
• parody
• send up
• travesty

Noun

• burlesque
• caricature
• parody
• put-on
• rib
• send-up
• takeoff
• travesty

Examples of spoof in a Sentence

Verb

spoofed overly competitive parents in a mockumentary about tryouts for a national T-ball team

the newspaper was spoofed by a supposedly plausible claim of a UFO encounter

Noun

many viewers thought that the spoof of a television newscast was the real thing

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

While sketch comedy show frequently takes aim at Trump — played since 2016 by Alec Baldwin and James Austin Johnson — Saturday's episode spoofed the actors paying fealty to the new commander in chief. —Dennis Romero, NBC News, 10 Nov. 2024

The horror landscape has dramatically shifted since the last Scary Movie, which should give the Wayans ample opportunity to spoof tons of recent projects. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024

Noun

Leverage Relevant, Real-World Examples Anchor your phishing spoofs in recent, relevant, real-world examples of similar attacks and the subsequent outcomes. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Salazar's final film project was Eric Rivas' The Brooklyn Premiere, in which the actor reunited with Scarface costar Steven Bauer for a spoof on the crime drama. —Tommy McArdle, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Spoof, a hoaxing game invented by Arthur Roberts †1933 English comedian

First Known Use

Verb

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spoof

verb

ˈspüf

: to make good-natured fun of

spoof noun