# hoax vs host

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### hoax
*verb · IPA /həʊks/ · frequency rank #14,339*
To deceive (someone) by making them believe something that has been maliciously or mischievously fabricated.

### host
*noun · IPA /həʊst/ · frequency rank #1,758*
One which receives or entertains a guest, socially, commercially, or officially.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoax-vs-host