verb
- past tense of catfish: to deceive someone by creating a fake online identity or profile, typically to lure them into a romantic or emotional relationship
Usage: informal; internet/social media slang; typically used in the context of online dating or social media
Examples
- She realized she had been catfished when the person she met looked nothing like their profile pictures.
- He catfished multiple people on the dating app using stolen photos.
- After months of texting, she discovered her boyfriend had catfished her with a fake identity.
- The documentary exposed how easily people can be catfished online.
- They were catfished by someone pretending to be a celebrity.
- She felt embarrassed after being catfished, but learned to be more cautious online.