hoax

Everyday

1. A hoax is a trick that makes many people believe something that is not true, such as a fake story, picture or warning. tree →
2. To hoax people means to trick them in this way. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and safety hoaxes spread online (fake news, fake warnings, chain messages); pupils learn to check sources before believing or sharing. A hoax call to the emergency services is a crime because it wastes help that others need. In stories a hoax can be a prank or a mystery to solve. Phrases: «a hoax call», «a hoax email», «it turned out to be a hoax».

Examples

• The photo of the giant shark turned out to be a hoax. tree →
• Making a hoax call to 999 or 911 is against the law. tree →
• The message saying the school would close was a hoax. tree →
• Before you share a story online, check it is not a hoax. tree →
• The crop circles were a hoax made by two men with planks. tree →
• They hoaxed the whole town with a fake monster sighting. tree →
• The detective soon realised the ransom note was a hoax. tree →
• April Fools' Day hoaxes are meant to be funny, not harmful. tree →
• He did this more than once, and every time the villagers found they had been hoaxed, for there was no Wolf at all. tree →

Note

Plural «hoaxes». A hoax is bigger than a simple lie: it is planned to fool many people. Related: «prank» (a playful trick), «scam» (a trick to take money). A «hoaxer» is the person who makes one.