1
as in cheats
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
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2
as in frauds
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
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Recent Examples of hoaxers
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
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoaxers
Noun
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Iran lies, cheats, blusters and bullies.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
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The world is full of bad actors—cheats, liars, tyrants, sickos—who are, ultimately, mere human beings; at least, this was how rationality would have it.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Noticias Telemundo also contacted Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, the three platforms where the frauds analyzed in this reporting originated.—
Albinson Linares,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
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The National Association of Mortgage Brokers recommends customers take precautions to avoid potential frauds by calling sources and double-checking any information or requests.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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But my collection intentionally ignored the fraudulent exploits of billionaire heirs, tax dodgers and corporate magnates — defense contracts, government lobbying, bank accounts in Switzerland, shell companies in Panama, citizenship of Antigua and political asylum in London.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Swift’s likeness has been used without permission in numerous AI fakes, including by Meta’s AI chatbots and in pornographic images that have circulated on the internet.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
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Hackers with your booking data can write convincing fakes that look urgent.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The area where the attack took place is known for spinner sharks, but local reports identified the shark in question as a tiger shark, according to Spanish outlet Diario Sur.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
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Other sharks, like Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran, were hesitant to make an offer due to the product’s niche business.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hoaxers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoaxers. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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