What does hoaxer mean?
A hoaxer is someone who deliberately makes a false claim or creates a deceptive situation, often as a prank or to attract attention. The word emphasizes the person responsible for the deception rather than the deception itself: a hoax is the fabricated story or scheme, while the hoaxer is its creator or performer. It commonly appears in reporting about internet misinformation, telephone scams, staged events, and television pranks. The term can sound playful when the deception is harmless and humorous, but more critical when the hoax causes harm, wastes people’s time, or interferes with public understanding. It is most natural in British and American English, though the word is used internationally. In general discussion, the related word prankster is often less accusatory, while deceiver is broader and can imply serious wrongdoing.
nounA person who creates or carries out a hoax, especially one intended to deceive people for amusement, attention, or some other purpose.
- A person who deliberately creates or presents a false story, situation, or message as if it were genuine.
"The television hoaxer persuaded viewers that the building had been destroyed by an earthquake."
"The hoaxer claimed that the website had been closed for repairs, causing a flurry of confused messages."
"In her satirical work, she portrays a hoaxer who makes increasingly elaborate claims that many people refuse to question."
The standard plural of hoaxer is hoaxers.
"Several hoaxers were identified after publishing false reports online."
A hoaxer invents the story; the hoaxer’s success depends on everyone else believing it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hoaxer come from?
Hoaxer is an English noun formed from hoax by adding the agentive suffix -er, meaning a person who performs the action described by the verb. The word hoax emerged in the late 18th century and is generally connected with hocus-pocus, an older expression associated with deception or mystification. The exact historical route of that connection is not entirely transparent, but the shared deception-related vocabulary is well established.
How hoaxer is actually used
Usually informal and often mildly disapproving, the term suggests that the deception is intended to amuse, provoke a reaction, or attract attention. In journalism and discussion of online deception, it is used to identify a person who repeatedly publishes fabricated stories.