fake 1 of 3

1
2
3
4

fake

2 of 3

noun

fake

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to counterfeit
to imitate or copy especially in order to deceive pranksters faked giant footprints and then claimed that they had seen Bigfoot

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4
as in to evade
to elude (an opponent in a sports contest) by making a deceptive or agile movement the running back faked the defense by stepping to his left and then quickly cutting to the right

Synonyms & Similar Words

Try This Instead

For
Try This
fake documents
counterfeit documents
falsified documents
fraudulent documents
phony documents
bogus documents
a fake identity
a falsified identity
a fraudulent identity
a counterfeit identity
a fictitious identity
a feigned identity
fake news
bogus news
phony news
a fake smile
an inauthentic smile
a feigned smile
a hollow smile
a counterfeit smile
a phony smile

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fake different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of fake are counterfeit, fraud, humbug, imposture, and sham. While all these words mean "a thing made to seem other than it is," fake implies an imitation of or substitution for the genuine but does not necessarily imply dishonesty.

these jewels are fakes; the real ones are in the vault

When could counterfeit be used to replace fake?

The meanings of counterfeit and fake largely overlap; however, counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable.

20-dollar bills that were counterfeits

When is fraud a more appropriate choice than fake?

The synonyms fraud and fake are sometimes interchangeable, but fraud usually implies a deliberate perversion of the truth.

the diary was exposed as a fraud

In what contexts can humbug take the place of fake?

While the synonyms humbug and fake are close in meaning, humbug suggests elaborate pretense usually so flagrant as to be transparent.

creating publicity by foisting humbugs on a gullible public

When is it sensible to use imposture instead of fake?

The words imposture and fake are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, imposture applies to any situation in which a spurious object or performance is passed off as genuine.

their claim of environmental concern is an imposture

When would sham be a good substitute for fake?

Although the words sham and fake have much in common, sham applies to fraudulent imitation of a real thing or action.

condemned the election as a sham

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 fake
Adjective
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 With guidance from Benny’s older sister (Mary Beth Barone) and her campus-legend boyfriend (Adam DiMarco), Benny and Carmen juggle horrible hookups, flavored vodka, and fake IDs. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
Historically, trade restrictions drive up the cost of authentic goods, creating the perfect conditions for counterfeiters to flood the market with cheaper, harder-to-detect fakes, according to Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder and CEO of Entrupy, an authentication service. Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2025 The hyper-real fakes are built around timelines of countries’ socio-political histories. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
Read Next North Carolina Police chief stole evidence and faked his death, NC cops say. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025 That was probably a terrible decision, in fairness, but Meazza responded by faking a shot to fool a defender, then teed up Piola to score. Michael Cox, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fake
Adjective
  • Push your chairs and couches together to create a faux sectional look.
    Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2025
  • And while both traditional and faux leather-making processes involve chemicals, PVC can release pollutants and toxic chemicals.
    Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Also known as package confusion, this form of attack was first demonstrated in 2021 in a proof-of-concept exploit that executed counterfeit code on networks belonging to some of the biggest companies on the planet, Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla included.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025
  • In February 2018, during the previous Trump administration, Ortega-Anguiano tried to reenter the U.S. with a counterfeit document.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Some mock drafts had the Steelers taking a running back like Omarion Hampton in the first round.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Congratulations to all the top scorers who competed against 1,527 mock drafts!
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The double cook method of steaming or boiling followed by crushing.
    Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Two more were plated on a sacrifice fly from Edman and an off-the-wall double from Smith.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 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
  • This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Republicans defend the changes as necessary to prevent fraud in the petition-gathering process, but bill sponsors said that among hundreds of allegations of petition fraud in 2024, there were 18 arrests.
    Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 3 May 2025
  • Both were eventually convicted on various counts of wire and securities fraud, as well as money laundering.
    Joe Otterson, Variety, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • The duo forged a bond while on England duty at under-17 level.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
  • It has been forged with integrity, especially in the superior first act, before the show gets trapped in one of its bespoke devices: creepy stuff happening during the production of a high school play.
    Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • On Friday night, during rounds two and three of the draft, Sanders received a call from someone pretending to be New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis.
    Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on fake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!