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
Among those reports, according to the FTC, Customs and Board Protection impostors ranked as the fourth most common with 3,466 reports in the first four months of 2025.
—
Susan Tompor, USA Today, 30 July 2025
And, of course, there was the impostor Case Keenum, a miscast backup, and the high-maintenance Russell Wilson, who hit the right notes off the field, especially in visits to hospitals, but never found his fit in coach Sean Payton’s offense or the locker room.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 26 July 2025
In a statement to Newsweek, Bluesky said Vance’s account had initially been flagged as a possible impostor and was reinstated in under 20 minutes.
—Morgan Kromer, The Washington Examiner, 19 June 2025
The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by the Washington Post.
—Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for impostor
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Susan Tompor, USA Today, 30 July 2025
And, of course, there was the impostor Case Keenum, a miscast backup, and the high-maintenance Russell Wilson, who hit the right notes off the field, especially in visits to hospitals, but never found his fit in coach Sean Payton’s offense or the locker room.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 26 July 2025
In a statement to Newsweek, Bluesky said Vance’s account had initially been flagged as a possible impostor and was reinstated in under 20 minutes.
—Morgan Kromer, The Washington Examiner, 19 June 2025
The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by the Washington Post.
—Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 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 22 Aug. 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
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