noun
hoax
hohks
noun
1
Something made up on purpose to trick or deceive people.
"The moon-landing conspiracy is a well-known hoax."
"Police confirmed the bomb threat was a hoax."
verb
1
To trick someone into believing something false.
"The prankster hoaxed his classmates into thinking school was cancelled."
How to Use Hoax
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA deliberate trick or fake story meant to fool people.
Common pairings
a hoax call
perpetrate a hoax
expose a hoax
Word Forms
hoaxed past tense, hoaxes plural, hoaxes singular
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The moon-landing conspiracy is a well-known _____.
Etymology
Likely a shortened form of "hocus", itself probably tied to "hocus-pocus", the classic magician's phrase.