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 faux outrage has been truly insane. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026

Whitehead has long cultivated a faux-naïve persona in book talks and opinion pieces. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

The water-resistant faux leather exterior is practical for rainy days or tropical getaways, and the round toe box offers plenty of space, even for those with wide feet. — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 20 June 2026

Made of real leather adorned with a faux-raffia trim, throwing this belt around your pant loops or cinching the waist of a dress will automatically revamp your summer ensembles with little to no effort. — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 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