hoax

American  

[hohks] / hoʊks /

noun

1. something intended to deceive or defraud.

   The Piltdown man was a scientific hoax.

   Synonyms:

   humbug, imposture, fake, fraud, deception

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verb (used with object)

1. to deceive by a hoax; hoodwink.

hoax British  

/ həʊks /

noun

1. a deception, esp a practical joke

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verb

1. (tr) to deceive or play a joke on (someone)

Other Word Forms

• hoaxer noun
• unhoaxed adjective

Etymology

Origin of hoax

First recorded in 1790–1800; perhaps contraction of hocus

Example Sentences

If Shirley was only interested in building his hoax on that existing and very real case, he could have targeted anti-hunger charities for his fake sting.

From Salon

Dating back to the late 18th century, “hoax” seems to derive from what a conjurer or juggler might say, a truncation of “hocus pocus,” utilized to divert the attention of an audience.

From Salon

Never mind that the commission doesn’t need the policy to confront legitimate offenses; it has a rule banning broadcast hoaxes.

From The Wall Street Journal

It comes after months of refusing to address the Epstein files as anything other than “a hoax.”

From Salon

He calls it the Epstein “hoax,” a word, it pays to remember, with a specific resonance in Trumpspeak.

From The Wall Street Journal