What does hoaxing mean?
Hoaxing is the act of deliberately deceiving people, usually as a joke or prank, by making a false story, event, identity, or message appear genuine. The word is the present participle and gerund of hoax and is commonly used for telephone, email, and media deception. Its connotation ranges from playful and elaborate—creating a convincing fictional world—to dishonest or harmful when the false claim causes panic, financial loss, or wasted resources. In reporting, “hoaxing” emphasizes the deliberate and deceptive character of an incident and may suggest that the perpetrators intended the false claim to be discovered. As a gerund, hoaxing can name the activity itself, although “a hoax” and “an act of deception” are more usual noun choices. The term is used in both British and American English and is generally neutral in style but negative or suspicious in meaning because it contrasts truthfulness with deliberate misrepresentation.
verbHoaxing is the deliberate deception of people, typically as a joke or prank, by presenting something false as genuine.
- To deceive people, typically as a joke or prank, by presenting a false story, claim, or situation as genuine.
"The website apologized after hoaxing readers with a fabricated report."
"She was charged with hoaxing emergency services by making a false call."
"The film was praised for hoaxing audiences into believing that its events were real."
A hoax succeeds twice: once when the false story is believed, and again when the deception is exposed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hoaxing come from?
Hoax entered English in the late eighteenth century, borrowed from the Dutch hoax, meaning a practical joke or deception. In English, it developed into the verb hoax, with the present-participle form hoaxing used for the act of deception and for related pranks.
Related word forms
How hoaxing is actually used
The word is generally neutral in style but negative or suspicious in meaning. It is also used as a gerund to name the activity of deception, although “a hoax” is the more usual noun. British and American pronunciations differ in the vowel sound.