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fake

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noun

fake

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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
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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

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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
A little too fresh to offer much perspective except lots of on-screen deepfake screen time and lots of fake CNN cross-branding of apocalyptic footage of fire and death from a manageable distance. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 23 May 2025 One Click Away From Crisis A friend, a CISO at a healthcare organization, once dealt with a breach triggered by a fake internal email. Faizan Mustafa, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
Fran Drescher also spoke out in favor of the bill, explaining how deep fakes have affected her image. Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025 What makes a painting by a master so much better than a really good fake? The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
However, the Will and Grace alum later returned to the subject, grasping her chest and slumping over to fake a heart attack on stage. Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 1 May 2025 In a world where polished sameness becomes easier, genuine connection will become even more valuable and even harder to fake. Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fake
Adjective
  • Made of faux leather, the fabric is high-quality, water-resistant, and cruelty-free.
    Izzy Baskette, People.com, 22 May 2025
  • The original Universal Studios Orlando mimicked a Hollywood backlot, with soundstages and faux New York streets.
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Parents, experts and lawmakers have urged tech giants to do more to prevent the sale of counterfeit or illicit drugs to young people through their platforms, after multiple teens have died of overdoses from pills bought online.
    Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 May 2025
  • According to a 2023 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of overdose deaths involving counterfeit pills more than doubled between mid-2019 and late 2021, with states in the Western US being even more acutely impacted.
    Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • Say it with mock certainty and a slight smile, Callahan advises, and pause before the punchline.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 21 May 2025
  • Two of them show up regularly in way-too-early 2026 mock drafts.
    Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • Kornet, who nearly recorded a triple double (10 points, nine rebounds, seven blocks) in Game 5 was late on rotations.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
  • The Cowgirls grew their lead to 3-1 with a double to left-center field by Rachael Hathoot.
    Ethan Westerman, Arkansas Online, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • For every intentionally funny moment, there seems to be another joke at someone’s expense, such as Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie needing 40 seconds to (mostly) name his eight kids or Rams defensive end William Hayes insisting dinosaurs are a hoax, but mermaids are real.
    Tim Graham, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • For more on Sherri Papini's kidnapping hoax, subscribe now to PEOPLE, or pick up this week's issue, on newsstands Friday.
    Johnny Dodd, People.com, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • The suspect was arrested in Florida in March on robbery and fraud charges, before being extradited to Louisiana, the news agency stated.
    Becca Longmire, People.com, 16 May 2025
  • UnitedHealth Group is under a Department of Justice criminal probe for possible criminal Medicare fraud related to its Medicare Advantage business, according to the Wall Street Journal.
    Medora Lee, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Trump could be the right leader to forge compromise.
    J. Tedford Tyler, Time, 17 May 2025
  • Work smarter not harder Many new CE leaders overestimate their internal ability and capacity to forge new partnerships to improve supply chains.
    London School of Economics, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • That old man was Trump—who had just been hospitalized with COVID-19, but was pretending that everything was fine—and yet the column was about America’s gerontocracy as a whole, and what Smith suggested was an unsustainable media omertà around it.
    Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 23 May 2025
  • That’s the point of him; as the Mission: Impossible franchise’s secret agent extraordinaire, Hunt can pretend to be anyone, accomplish basically any physical task, and uncover conspiracies with aplomb.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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