impostor
noun
im·pos·tor
im-ˈpä-stər 
variants
or imposter
: one that assumes false identity or title for the purpose of deception
Examples of impostor in a Sentence
He claimed he was an experienced pilot, but he turned out to be an impostor.
the man who claimed to be a prince turned out to be an impostor
Recent Examples on the Web
Attackers can easily generate convincing digital impostors that fool people and biometric systems.
—
Brian Greenberg, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Phony is a coming-of-age mystery about a teenager who wakes up in the hospital after a car accident to discover his mom — his only parent and his best friend — appears to have been replaced by an impostor.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2025
The half-hour show follows a teenage boy who wakes up after a car accident only to find that his mom — his only parent and best friend — appears to have been replaced by an impostor.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
Phony, which Hulu ordered as a pilot in October 2024, centers on Sonny (Nivola), a high school student who wakes up in the hospital after a car accident and discovers his mom, Ellen (Britton), has seemingly been replaced by an impostor.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impostor
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.
Brian Greenberg, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Phony is a coming-of-age mystery about a teenager who wakes up in the hospital after a car accident to discover his mom — his only parent and his best friend — appears to have been replaced by an impostor.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2025
The half-hour show follows a teenage boy who wakes up after a car accident only to find that his mom — his only parent and best friend — appears to have been replaced by an impostor.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
Phony, which Hulu ordered as a pilot in October 2024, centers on Sonny (Nivola), a high school student who wakes up in the hospital after a car accident and discovers his mom, Ellen (Britton), has seemingly been replaced by an impostor.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impostor
Cite this Entry
“Impostor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impostor. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
impostor
noun
im·pos·tor
variants
or imposter
: a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive
Legal Definition
impostor
noun
im·pos·tor
variants
or imposter
: one that assumes a false identity or title for the purpose of deception : impersonator
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share