1
as in fake
being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud
counterfeit currency that had been passed all over town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in double
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
when it comes to the poor, his compassion is so counterfeit—he gives a damn, and that's all that he gives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hoax
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
the will as well as the other documents turned out to be counterfeits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to fake
to imitate or copy especially in order to deceive
an expert at counterfeiting money
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of
managing to counterfeit a happy expression while visiting a sick friend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of counterfeit
Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Image Beware of counterfeit eclipse glasses and solar viewers.
—Katrina Miller, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
Cases of counterfeits have been rare, but with prices rising into the six- and seven-figure range, obtaining that certified guarantee is important.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Kaja Andric, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
Earlier this year, French, Italian, and Swiss police forces teamed up to bust a ring of wine fraudsters who were selling counterfeited Grand Cru wines (the premier designation of quality in French wine) for up to €15,000 a bottle.
—Chris Hall, WIRED, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for counterfeit
Adjective
In Asia, a shadow trade war has long been fought in China over intellectual property—mainly counterfeit goods like putting a Blackhawks logo on an unauthorized cap.
—Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Image Beware of counterfeit eclipse glasses and solar viewers.
—Katrina Miller, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
Others have used the counterfeits from East Asia to take advantage of Apple by sending in counterfeit phones that couldn't be repaired in order to induce the company to replace the counterfeits with genuine iPhones,
Apple isn't the only one plagued by fraudsters.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
Cases of counterfeits have been rare, but with prices rising into the six- and seven-figure range, obtaining that certified guarantee is important.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles regularly updates the design and security measures of its driver’s licenses to stay ahead of counterfeiting techniques.
—Kaja Andric, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
Earlier this year, French, Italian, and Swiss police forces teamed up to bust a ring of wine fraudsters who were selling counterfeited Grand Cru wines (the premier designation of quality in French wine) for up to €15,000 a bottle.
—Chris Hall, WIRED, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for counterfeit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterfeit
Adjective
-
With digital platforms flooded with bots and fake numbers, Kerns built his following and client base by offering true engagement, authority, and working systems.—
Rhiannon Frater,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
-
Swatting is when a 911 call is made, usually to report a fake violent crime, to get police and sometimes even SWAT teams, to respond to the address given by the caller.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Regardless, baseball’s appeal will always be its moments of quiet wonder: the leaping outfielder robbing a homerun, the late-inning play at the plate, the double steal, the diving infielder preventing a winning run from scoring and the lifelong joy of a kid’s first hit in a Little League game.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
23 Apr. 2025
-
This double track would allow northbound and southbound trains to pass one another, increasing frequency and ridership.—
John Franklin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
They are aimed at gaining control over institutions likely to push back against Trump’s agenda by citing inconvenient truths: Climate change is no hoax, vaccines save millions of lives and sweeping tariffs amount to a huge tax hike on American consumers and businesses.—
Orlando Sentinel and Chicago Tribune editorial boards,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Joshua Lowe was sentenced to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to false information and hoaxes, according to court records.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The duo forged a bond while on England duty at under-17 level.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
-
There’s only forging ahead into the next mission — with another yearlong time-jump just around the corner.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
After watching a movie with Stoddart, the teenage boys pretended to leave, only to sneak back into the house through the basement shortly after.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
28 Apr. 2025
-
In the video, Jax Ulbrich, pretending to be Loomis, called Sanders to falsely inform him that the Saints, one of the teams discussed as a potential landing spot for Shedeur prior to the draft, were selecting him with their third-round pick.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The outlet stated that prosecutor Cray explained how the suspect had used a forged license to purchase a gun and 100 cartridges for around $843 (£650) from a private seller.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
-
She was charged with misdemeanor identity theft and criminal possession of a forged instrument, later pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count.—
Katie Langford,
The Denver Post,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
There was a grocery list, spice cans, copies of L.A. newspapers.—
Carolyn Kellogg,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Oblivion is estimated to have sold over nine million copies in the first nine years of its release.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
What constitutes the crime is to phony up business accounting records to disguise the payments.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2024
-
In fact, legislators and regulators are rolling back regulations designed to protect investors, who in this case are estimated to have lost $100 billion to phony Chinese firms.—
Gary Thompson,
Philly.com,
29 Mar. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Counterfeit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterfeit. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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