Synonyms of fake

fake 1 of 3

adjective

ˈfāk 

1

as in counterfeit

being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud

arrested for peddling "designer" watches that were fake

Synonyms & Similar Words

• counterfeit
• false
• forged
• phony
• bogus
• imitation
• inauthentic
• ornamental
• sham
• spurious
• artificial
• synthetic
• manufactured
• unauthentic
• snide
• mock
• deceptive
• simulated
• misleading
• dummy
• mimic
• substitute
• factitious
• cultured
• fabricated
• nonfunctioning
• man-made
• delusive

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• genuine
• authentic
• bona fide
• natural
• actual
• true
• unfaked
• valid

2

as in synthetic

being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials

opposed to the unnecessary killing of animals, she'll consider wearing only fake furs

Synonyms & Similar Words

• synthetic
• artificial
• faux
• simulated
• imitation
• dummy
• false
• mock
• imitative
• bogus
• counterfeit
• manufactured
• ersatz
• pretend
• mimic
• sham
• substitute
• factitious
• designer
• deceptive
• process
• man-made
• manipulated
• fabricated
• forged
• unauthentic
• pseudo
• cultured
• engineered
• fraudulent
• phony
• misleading
• adulterated
• concocted
• doctored
• feigned
• spurious
• fudged
• affected
• juggled
• tampered (with)
• pinchbeck
• brummagem

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• genuine
• natural
• true
• legitimate
• authentic
• bona fide
• valuable
• quality
• pure
• premium
• unadulterated

3

as in mock

lacking in natural or spontaneous quality

the boss's pitiful attempts at humor were met with fake laughter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mock
• false
• strained
• unnatural
• pseudo
• artificial
• simulated
• exaggerated
• mechanical
• phony
• bogus
• affected
• plastic
• contrived
• forced
• spurious
• sham
• feigned
• assumed
• factitious
• cute
• pretended
• theatrical
• put-on
• hollow
• unreal
• empty
• automatic
• manufactured
• unauthentic
• pat
• unrealistic
• insincere
• fabricated
• formal
• hypocritical
• deliberate
• wooden
• canned
• calculated
• stiff
• labored
• hokey
• melodramatic
• conventional
• concocted
• unctuous
• histrionic
• stylized
• conscious
• facile
• impersonal
• mealy
• cultivated
• rigid
• mincing
• two-faced
• cutesy
• premeditated
• overdone
• mealymouthed
• artful
• overacted
• simpering
• genteel
• studied
• double-dealing
• left-handed
• inflexible
• goody-goody
• overrefined

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• genuine
• real
• natural
• spontaneous
• authentic
• true
• realistic
• unaffected
• right
• artless
• bona fide
• sincere
• honest
• easy
• unfeigned
• unforced
• smooth
• ingenuous
• uncontrived
• effortless
• unconscious
• impromptu
• instinctive
• impulsive
• unpretending
• extemporaneous
• unrehearsed
• unstudied
• unprompted

4

as in double

not being or expressing what one appears to be or express

the fake friendliness of the sales rep made me want to gag

Synonyms & Similar Words

• double
• counterfeit
• lip
• phony
• artificial
• meaningless
• pretended
• superficial
• hollow
• strained
• insincere
• false
• hypocritical
• feigned
• unnatural
• mechanical
• backhanded
• unctuous
• phony-baloney
• assumed
• jive
• pious
• mealy
• affected
• dishonest
• double-faced
• empty
• simulated
• two-faced
• contrived
• forced
• mealymouthed
• Pecksniffian
• Janus-faced
• double-dealing
• sham
• bogus
• left-handed
• deceitful
• put-on
• untruthful
• glib
• devious
• claptrap
• facile
• tongue-in-cheek
• sanctimonious
• facetious
• jocular
• campy
• pharisaical
• simon-pure
• self-righteous
• canting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• genuine
• sincere
• honest
• heartfelt
• candid
• artless
• unfeigned
• direct
• plain
• open
• frank
• undesigning
• straightforward
• forthright
• heart-to-heart

fake

2 of 3

noun

1

as in hoax

an imitation that is passed off as genuine

experts declared that one of the museum's prized paintings was actually a fake

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hoax
• counterfeit
• phony
• copy
• sham
• reproduction
• forgery
• replica
• synthetic
• spoof
• bastard
• knockoff
• copycat
• humbug
• simulation
• swindle
• facsimile
• dummy
• fraud
• imposture
• shoddy
• mock-up
• gaff
• duffer
• brummagem

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• original

2

as in fraud

one who makes false claims of identity or expertise

a hidden-camera investigation revealed that the so-called psychic was a fake

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fraud
• sham
• pretender
• faker
• phony
• impostor
• deceiver
• quack
• charlatan
• actor
• misleader
• mountebank
• counterfeiter
• hoaxer
• operator
• ringer
• fakir
• sharper
• quacksalver
• copycat
• humbug
• mimic
• imitator
• impersonator
• dissembler
• duper
• skinner
• poseur
• swindler
• scammer
• trickster
• fraudster
• dodger
• bluffer
• defrauder
• feigner
• sharpie
• scamster
• cozener

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• master
• expert
• professional
• authority
• virtuoso
• ace
• wizard
• maestro
• whiz
• past master
• adept
• crackerjack

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

• counterfeit
• forge
• phony
• simulate
• invent
• manipulate
• duplicate
• reproduce
• replicate
• crib
• fabricate
• cook (up)
• juggle
• tamper (with)
• plagiarize
• concoct
• adulterate
• reduplicate
• doctor
• fudge

2

as in to pretend

to present a false appearance of

while running for class president, Dan was not above faking friendship with people just to get their votes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pretend
• simulate
• assume
• counterfeit
• affect
• act
• pass (for)
• feign
• bluff
• sham
• make believe
• put on
• dissemble
• profess
• conceal
• pose
• forge
• masquerade
• imitate
• impersonate
• play
• mask
• camouflage
• disguise
• let on
• dissimulate
• playact
• feint
• malinger

3

as in to concoct

to perform, make, or do without preparation

if you give me the gist of the plan, I can probably fake enough for the speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

• concoct
• devise
• improvise
• manufacture
• clap (together or up)
• ad-lib
• invent
• extemporize
• hatch
• think (up)
• cook (up)
• fabricate
• make up
• contrive
• dash (off)
• cobble (together or up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ready
• prepare
• lay
• arrange
• consider
• study
• practice
• exercise
• contemplate
• ponder
• rehearse

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

• evade
• fake out
• dodge
• juke
• slip
• deke
• sidestep
• pump-fake
• maneuver (around)
• stutter-step

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

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

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

Recent Examples of fake

Adjective

In an early part of UniQure’s testing, doctors performed fake surgeries on 10 patients at the request of the FDA. —Bloomberg, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026

About Wells Fargo and other sanctions Wells Fargo’s regulatory sanctions began after the fake accounts scandal was discovered. —Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2026

Noun

Lamont said his conservation with Porat focused on striking a balance between driving innovation and addressing concerns around algorithmic bias, deep fakes and job loss. —Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026

The letter to Hull in which Pender allegedly confessed to committing the murders was later deemed a fake, with Hull himself admitting that his cellmate wrote it. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026

Verb

And those who fake their own deaths usually get caught. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026

To fake the airbrush vibe, grab a makeup sponge and dap on the polish. —Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 20 Feb. 2026

Phrases Containing fake

• fake out