fake news
Americannoun
-
false news stories, often of a sensational nature, created to be widely shared or distributed for the purpose of generating revenue, or promoting or discrediting a public figure, political movement, company, etc..
It’s impossible to avoid clickbait and fake news on social media.
-
a parody that presents current events or other news topics for humorous effect in an obviously satirical imitation of journalism.
The website publishes fake news that is hilarious and surprisingly insightful.
-
Sometimes Facetious. (used as a conversational tactic to dispute or discredit information that is perceived as hostile or unflattering).
The senator insisted that recent polls forecasting an election loss were just fake news.
Usage
What is fake news? Fake news can refer to false new stories, often spread as misinformation or disinformation on social media. It has also come to refer any information that one finds critical about themselves or something themselves, a use popularized by President Donald Trump in 2016.
Etymology
Origin of fake news
First recorded in 1800–20 in the sense “false news, spurious news”; the current sense was first recorded in 2010–15
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These include AI-generated deepfakes and fake news outlets that have influenced recent election conversations in countries such as the United States, Taiwan, Indonesia, and India, according to UBC computer scientist Dr. Kevin Leyton-Brown.
From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026
“But do keep at it with the fake news, actual malice standard is now what some would call a legal lay up,” he wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
In an upcoming study seen by the BBC, the academics shared an example of the speed at which fake news travels on social media.
From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026
The KBB dismissed the report, telling AFP in a short statement: "We believe this is fake news."
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
Nineteenth-century newspapers intentionally printed fake news stories to entertain readers and increase sales.
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
