HOAXER Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

hoaxer

noun

Definition of hoaxer

as in cheat

a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value if it sounds too good to be true, you're probably dealing with a hoaxer in a boiler room somewhere

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in fraud

one who makes false claims of identity or expertise his college roommate turned out be a complete hoaxer and not the son of a wealthy shipping tycoon he said he was

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of hoaxer He's been labeled a hoaxer and scammer by some, but that has done nothing to slow him down. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 The hoaxer is asking for crypto donations. — Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026 Officials have received multiple letters claiming to be ransom notes—and seem to have spent much of their time attempting to discern which, if any, might be authentic, and which might be the work of hoaxers. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026 The film follows a Bigfoot hoax that goes horribly wrong in the middle of an actual Sasquatch hot spot, leading to a chaotic struggle between the hoaxers, investigators, and a supernatural force that defies explanation. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 18 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoaxer

Noun

Sometimes, the fourth-grader asks Robo-Dad for Minecraft cheats.

— Ella Chakarian, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2026
And then Bobby is just a cheat code for comedy writers.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 June 2026

Definition of cheat

Noun

Kidan pleaded guilty in 2005 to fraud and conspiracy related to the purchase of a fleet of gambling boats, and in 2006 he was sentenced to nearly six years in prison.

— Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Google also said the devices were used for ad fraud and other digital crimes.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026

Definition of fraud

Noun

Ukraine faces severe personnel shortages with around 200,000 military desertions and 2 million draft-dodgers, threatening its ability to sustain the war against Russia’s 2022 invasion.

— Kirsten Grieshaber, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Almost all other passengers dine at the Britannia Restaurant, and there’s also a buffet restaurant serving international cuisine, with options for vegans, vegetarians and dairy dodgers.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Jan. 2026

Definition of dodger

Noun

And what happens to someone who’s been outed like that, as a fake?

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 July 2026
The Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services has warned that people can easily obtain fakes; in 2010, Puerto Rico invalidated all its existing birth certificates, citing rampant fraud and identity theft.

— Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

Definition of fake

Noun

That night, Valencia, the vessel’s captain, set out with a crew of nine from Jaramijó, Ecuador, for what was expected to be a typical three-week voyage, casting lines for shark, marlin, and tuna.

— Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
The group stage would be a series of blowouts, the sharks would devour the minnows.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026

Definition of shark

Noun

The decade ended tumultuously, with the Osmond family’s fortune drained by a series of swindlers and grifters.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
The New York Times later reported that Bankman-Fried was placed in solitary confinement because the crypto swindler violated the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ rules.

— Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026

Definition of swindler

Noun

The actors are perfectly cast, starting with Marmaï’s likable Antoine, the only player here not being the deceiver.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 12 May 2026
The film tells the true and twisted tale of a deceiver of land and folk, who, defying her birth as a woman, comported herself as a man and committed many a wicked deed.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026

Definition of deceiver

Browse Nearby Words

hoaxed

hoaxer

hoaxers

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hoaxer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoaxer. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hoaxer

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes