noun a humorous or malicious deception
verb to deceive someone with a hoax
The hoax quickly spread on social media, causing panic among users.
The journalist was fired for spreading a hoax about the politician.
The hoax about aliens landing on Earth gained traction among conspiracy theorists.
The website was shut down for publishing a hoax article.
The story of the haunted house turned out to be a hoax created by teenagers.
A writer may use the term 'hoax' when referring to a plot twist in a fictional story that deceives the characters and the audience.
A psychologist may use the term 'hoax' when discussing the psychological impact of falling victim to a hoax or when studying the motivations behind perpetrating hoaxes.