something intended to deceive or defraud

The Piltdown man was a scientific hoax.

a trick or lie

to deceive by a hoax; hoodwink.

noun

cheat , cock-and-bull story * , con * , con game * , crock * , deceit , deception , dodge , fabrication , fake , falsification , fast one , fast shuffle , fib , flimflam * , fraud , gimmick , gyp * , hooey , humbug * , hustle , imposture , joke , lie , practical joke , prank , put-on , racket , ruse , scam , sell , shift , snow job * , spoof , sting , swindle , whopper * , canard , mare\'s nest , rumor

verb

bamboozle * , bluff , chicane , con , deceive , delude , dupe , fake out , fleece , flimflam * , fool , frame , gammon , gull , hoodwink * , murphy , play games with , pull one’s leg , rook * , run a game on , set up * , sting * , swindle , take for a ride , take in * , bam , bamboozle , bilk , cheat , fake , fraud , gimmick , gyp , hornswoggle , humbug , hustle , joke , kid , mare\'s nest , prank , sham , spoof , sting , trick , victimize