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
Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
Austin Kocher, a Syracuse University research assistant professor who used to run an Ohio immigrant rights organization, said Trump’s massive platform legitimized the hoaxes and kept them circulating long after they were disproved.
—Maria Ramirez Uribe and Amy Sherman, Journal Sentinel, 18 Dec. 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
The post, which is a hoax, had been viewed 2.4 million times on X at the time of publication.
—Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
Austin Kocher, a Syracuse University research assistant professor who used to run an Ohio immigrant rights organization, said Trump’s massive platform legitimized the hoaxes and kept them circulating long after they were disproved.
—Maria Ramirez Uribe and Amy Sherman, Journal Sentinel, 18 Dec. 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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In a report released Wednesday, the office singled out 19 countries that raised concerns of possible movement of counterfeit or pirated drugs.—
Lauren Irwin,
The Hill,
9 Jan. 2025
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After several investigative leads ended in dead-ends and counterfeits, a promising tip to the FBI prompted a sting operation that ended in agents recovering the fabled slippers in Minneapolis In July 2018.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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What began as an amusing alter ego created to trick a boss has now become a legitimate presence on credit reports, background checks and even tenant records, admitted original poster (OP) Cweev10 on Reddit this week.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
18 Jan. 2025
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Elon Musk can try to trick gamers, to argue with them, to post their DMs against his own Terms of Service.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Travel fakes like this appear to be on the uptick in 2025.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA TODAY,
17 Jan. 2025
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The truth became impossible to distill: Musk's vaunted Community Notes system was like a Band-Aid on a bullet hole, as reports of water shortages — some real, some fake — exploded into partisan blame games.—
Axios,
Axios,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The attackers disguise themselves as fake Google Ads login pages to fool advertisers, who are then phished for their account credentials.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
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However, others have questioned how she was so easily fooled.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Thankfully, the courts have seen through these shams, and in eighteen days, the jig will finally be up.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
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The president – former President Trump's nominee for Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has called this issue of extremism in the military a sham, suggesting that perhaps some of the efforts to end – to combat extremism are going to end.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Some even provide fake documents to help scammers deceive others.—
Ryan Nawrocki,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Jan. 2025
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On the other hand, disinformation is misleading or false information shared with the intent to deceive.—
Jill Hopke,
The Conversation,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This type of insurance covers problems due to fraud, mis-indexed or defective deeds, undisclosed heirs, forgeries, and unpaid liens threatening your ownership in your home.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Jan. 2025
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Pennsylvania authorities previously charged Mangione with carrying firearms without a license, possessing instruments of a crime, falsely identifying himself to law enforcement, tampering with records or identification, and forgery.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
19 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 30 Jan. 2025.
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