spoof

1 of 2

verb

ˈspüf How to pronounce spoof (audio)
spoofed; spoofing; spoofs
Synonyms of spoof

transitive verb

1
: deceive, hoax
2
: to make good-natured fun of

spoof

2 of 2

noun

1
: hoax, deception
2
: a light humorous parody
spoofery
ˈspü-f(ə-)rē How to pronounce spoof (audio)
noun
spoofy
ˈspü-fē How to pronounce spoof (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of spoof

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Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of spoof in a Sentence

Verb spoofed overly competitive parents in a mockumentary about tryouts for a national T-ball team the newspaper was spoofed by a supposedly plausible claim of a UFO encounter Noun many viewers thought that the spoof of a television newscast was the real thing
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The tableau of Hansen going face-to-face with suspects seated in suburban kitchens became so familiar it was spoofed in a comedy sketch that opened the 2006 Emmy Awards. — Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Since a quantum sensor does not need to receive or send a signal to an external device, it cannot be hacked or be spoofed by a fake incoming signal either. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
Kimmel and Damon then bicker over who has a rightful paternal claim to the child, culminating in a pitch-perfect spoof of Maury featuring Short as Povich. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026 The actor's limited screen time, primarily relegated to head-nodding and offering reassurance to Odysseus, has sparked memes on social media, including a Kratos spoof of her character. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spoof

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Spoof, a hoaxing game invented by Arthur Roberts †1933 English comedian

First Known Use

Verb

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spoof was in 1889

Rhymes for spoof

See All Rhymes for spoof

Browse Nearby Words

spontoon
spoof
spoofer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spoof.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spoof. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

spoof

verb
ˈspüf
: to make good-natured fun of
spoof noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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