Definition of «hoax»

A hoax is a false or misleading statement, designed to deceive and manipulate people. It usually involves some kind of trickery or deception that is intended to make it appear as though something is true when in fact it isn't. Hoaxes can take many different forms, from fake news stories to fraudulent products or services, but they all share the same goal: to mislead people for personal gain or simply for the sake of causing mischief and confusion.

Usage examples

  1. The internet is full of hoaxes, such as fake news articles, that are created to deceive readers.
  2. Many people believed the hoax about a celebrity's death, but it turned out to be a rumor spread by a malicious prankster.
  3. A common hoax is receiving an email or message claiming that you have won a lottery or inherited a large sum of money, even though you never participated in any such contest.
  4. The recent viral video claiming to capture a paranormal event turned out to be a hoax, as it was created using special effects.
  5. Law enforcement agencies are constantly investigating and debunking hoaxes related to missing persons or criminal activities, in order to prevent unnecessary panic and wasted resources.
  6. Some individuals intentionally create hoax social media accounts in order to spread misinformation or engage in cyberbullying.
  7. The product advertised as a miracle weight-loss solution was revealed to be a hoax when it was discovered that the testimonials were fabricated.
  8. A well-known historical hoax involved the Piltdown Man, a purported early human fossil that was eventually exposed as a forgery.

Sentences with «hoax»

  • I wouldn't characterize it as an easy role to play because the great hoax of Deadpool is that there's actually great dramatic tension that surrounds all of the comedy in the movie. (cinemablend.com)
  • Even if Facebook does want to stamp out fake news, it has to rely on human beings to flag those stories as hoaxes. (fortune.com)
  • This suggests that either the golem is an elaborate hoax perpetrated by one of the human characters, or that this film will feature the world's first transgender golem. (news.avclub.com)
  • (see all sentences)
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z