COUNTERFEITS Synonyms: 70 Similar and Opposite Words

counterfeits 1 of 2

noun

Definition of counterfeits next

plural of counterfeit

as in hoaxes

an imitation that is passed off as genuine the will as well as the other documents turned out to be counterfeits

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

originals

counterfeits

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of counterfeit

as in fakes

to imitate or copy especially in order to deceive an expert at counterfeiting money

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as in pretends

to present a false appearance of managing to counterfeit a happy expression while visiting a sick friend

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of counterfeits

Noun

Its expert team enforces strict production rules, promotes the brand globally, fights counterfeits and certifies every wheel. —

Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 2 May 2026 Greece, home to an extensive repository of cultural artifacts, has long contended with the proliferation of counterfeits and the looting of archaeological sites. —

Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 Apr. 2026 By 2009, Nakamoto took Bitcoin from theory to reality, mining the Genesis Block, and then, once the rules were set, protections against counterfeits were secured, and Bitcoin began to circulate—still worth next to nothing—Nakamoto vanished. —

Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026 While many online retailers and marketplaces have taken steps to address the marketing of counterfeits, others still haven’t put the requisite measures in place—like notice and takedown procedures, identity verification and policies to punish offenders—that would curb the behavior. —

Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2026 As Forbes has previously reported, the secondary market — once viewed as a niche or secondary — is moving into mainstream retail, particularly in luxury categories like watches and handbags, where scarcity, waitlists, and counterfeits have long complicated access. —

Tanya Benedicto Klich, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026 Do carve out a spot for the Mongkok market, with its colorful juxtaposition of souvenirs, food, fashions — beware of counterfeits, though — with live fish and even birds. —

Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 24 Nov. 2025 Safe handling and charging are indeed crucial, but what’s even more important is trying to keep counterfeits out of the supply chain. —

Andrew Moseman, IEEE Spectrum, 22 Nov. 2025 While fake goods have exchanged hands in informal markets since ancient times, the growth of online marketplaces has contributed to the rise in counterfeits because of how easy online shopping and selling have become. —

Gabrielle Fonrouge,paige Tortorelli, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025

Verb

This makes Temu counterfeits more difficult for consumers to spot while browsing, and more difficult to determine are counterfeit upon receipt of the goods. —

Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 25 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterfeits

Noun

Over a recent five-year span, 4% of Amber Alerts nationwide were determined to be hoaxes, where people intentionally misled law enforcement.

— Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, has also been the subject of death hoaxes in the past, including in 2018, when a fake article reporting his death circulated online.

— Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026