faux

adjective

ˈfō 

: not real or genuine: such as

a

: made to look like something else that is usually more valuable : imitation, fake

faux leather/fur

a string of faux pearls

… faux is the French word for fake, but it's a very chic fake. Faux marble, for example, is found in the best of homes.

—Sylvia Sachs

b

: not sincere

a show of faux [=feigned] concern

On Monday the CEO dusted off a version of the "I'm sorry if I offended you" faux apology used when people really mean, "I'm sorry I got caught."

—The East Bay (California) Times

Synonyms of faux

• synthetic
• fake
• simulated
• artificial
• imitation
• dummy
• false
• mock

Examples of faux in a Sentence

even the celebrity interior designer was fooled by the faux marble

Recent Examples on the Web

The stretchy pull-on style features a faux zip fly and faux front pockets for a polished, denim-like look while feeling as comfortable as your favorite leggings. — Mariana Best, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026

There are throw pillows in floral prints, cozy jacquard throw blankets, marble catchall dishes, faux fall floral arrangements and autumnal still life prints, among other picks exciting us ahead of the new season. — ABC News, 22 July 2026

The bride, in character, played with my mom’s long human hair in faux wonder, and Frankenstein reached out with his huge green hand to shake my dad’s hand. — Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026

While memi may sound cute as a faux-sector name, the memory chip companies are having a real impact across the public equities market, linking parts of the market that don’t typically cavort together. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, false

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing faux

• faux-hawk
• faux-naïf
• faux-naif
• faux pas

Rhymes for faux

• beau
• beaut
• beaux
• blow
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

faux

adjective

ˈfō 

: imitation entry 2

faux marble

Etymology

from French, "false," from Latin falsus