hoaxing
Pulling a con
Hoaxing is the act of deceiving someone with a fabricated story, fake evidence, or elaborate prank.
The goal may be entertainment, malice, or testing gullibility: The photo was debunked as hoaxing.
Internet hoaxing ranges from harmless pranks to dangerous misinformation campaigns.
Intentional criminal trickery
- shamFraudulent imitation
- fakeNot the real thing
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
fabrication · imposture · dupery · scam · swindle · con · charlatan · phony
Playful trick on someone
- jokeHumorous statement seeking laughter
- spoofComic exaggerated imitation
- gagMouth restraint or jest
- jestHumorous remark or act
stunt · trick · shenanigan · tomfoolery · mischief · antic · jape · lark
Deliberate act of deception
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- bluffCalculated false front
- feintDeceptive mock attack
- stratagemDeceptive plan for advantage
gambit · artifice · decoy · misdirection · smokescreen · illusion · trickery · sleight
Biased information for influence
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- gaslightingManipulation causing self-doubt
spin · distortion · fearmongering · indoctrination · demagogy
fraud
Intentional criminal trickery
counterfeit · fabrication · imposture · dupery · scam · swindle · con · charlatan · phony · bogus
prank
Playful trick on someone
jest · stunt · trick · shenanigan · tomfoolery · mischief · antic · jape · lark · put-on
ruse
Deliberate act of deception
stratagem · gambit · artifice · decoy · misdirection · smokescreen · illusion · trickery · sleight
propaganda
Biased information for influence
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
gaslighting · spin · distortion · fearmongering · indoctrination · demagogy
- honestyhonesty, truthfulness, candor, sincerity, dishonesty
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- fooling aroundjoking, kidding, jesting, fooling, teasing
- pretendingpretend, pretending, fake, feign, make-believe
hoaxingtelling the truth
verifying · authenticating · confirming · substantiating · fact-checking
hoaxingacting in good faith
being honest · leveling · leveling with · coming clean · debunking
hoaxingdisclosing
Making information known
revealing · exposing · uncovering · coming clean · confessing