fake out

verb

Definition of fake outnext
1
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue my friends faked me out for a whole day, letting me think that they had forgotten my birthday

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to evade
to elude (an opponent in a sports contest) by making a deceptive or agile movement used a quick between-the-legs dribble to fake out the flat-footed defender

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fake out Asked about the fake out, Mara grinned. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026 After the match, Kidd and Finlay, along with Clark Connors, attack Cassidy and Allin until Roderick Strong walks down to the ring, fakes out The Dogs and helps Cassidy and Allin get retribution. — Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026 In the 80th minute, Denkey received an assist from Ender Echenique, faking out goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos before finishing with his left foot between a pair of defenders. — ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026 Drake preferred to fake out a defender and run right by them. — Diamond Vences, Charlotte Observer, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fake out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fake out
  1. trick
  2. evade
  3. fool
  4. fake
  5. deceive
  6. string along
  7. suck in
Verb
  • While Bela is using the bathroom, Other Mommy approaches her and tricks her into agreeing that their family would be better if Frank wasn’t around.
    — William Earl, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Aguilar alleged that officers tricked her mother, who only speaks Spanish, into letting them in without giving her a chance to secure Kush.
    — Amy Corral, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • The new Marvel series will see the hero grapple with his identity and humanity while evading a bounty hunter and reuniting with his son.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Last year, a Houthi missile evaded Israel’s vaunted air defenses and impacted near Ben Gurion airport.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of evade
Verb
  • And we will be fooled into believing that’s the best, or worst, thing comedy has to offer.
    — Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The balancing act Don’t be fooled by the lack of a back-up plan.
    — Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of fool
Verb
  • Something to appeal to the crowd who still loves the sound of an engine resonating pipework, but doesn’t want it to be faked via speakers.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, quarterback Josh Hoover faked a handoff, the receivers sprinted downfield, and Nick Marsh came wide open for a 44-yard touchdown pass that proved the game-winner.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of fake
Verb
  • Some veterans say recruiters deceived them and Haitian authorities tortured them; their families call them scapegoats.
    — Astrid Suárez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Some of the Colombians have long maintained that they were deceived about the mission and arrived at the home after Moïse had already been killed.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of deceive
Verb
  • For one thing, the aircraft was an all-electric number powered by a dozen electric motors strung along the leading edge of the wing.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • But by Taiwan’s next presidential election in 2028, 12 years will have passed since that strategy was last tested—and the gamble is whether Xi can still be strung along.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of string along
Verb
  • One high-energy neutrino came from a blazar – a supermassive black hole sucking in matter from its host galaxy and spewing some of it into a jet thousands of light-years long and pointed straight at Earth.
    — Tyce DeYoung, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Young people who get addicted to social media get sucked in and lose track of time, Greenberg said, similar to adults.
    — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of suck in

Browse Nearby Words

faked out
fake out
faker
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Cite this Entry

“Fake out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake%20out. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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