catfish
KAT-fish
/ˈkæt.fɪʃ/
To lure someone into a relationship by means of a fictional online persona.
Usually involves stolen photos and a completely fabricated life story.
The story behind the word. The term comes from a story told in the 2010 film 'Catfish'. It claims that when live cod were shipped from Alaska to China, they became lethargic, so fishermen put catfish in the tanks to keep the cod active and agile. The metaphor suggests that 'catfish' in life keep us on our toes.
Word relationships
- impersonator: An impersonator usually mimics a specific real person; a catfish creates a new, fake person.
Collocations
- get catfished
- catfishing scam
- online catfish
Example sentences
- "She discovered she was being catfished when the man she loved refused to ever video chat." A warning about online safety.
- "The term catfish was popularized by the 2010 documentary of the same name." Referring to the famous documentary.
Memory hook
A cat in a fish mask—it's not what it seems. Fake bait.
When not to use
Don't use for minor exaggerations (like lying about height); it must be a wholesale fake identity.
Fun facts
- The MTV show 'Catfish' has run for over 8 seasons, documenting hundreds of fake identities.
Related words
Explore more words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.