1
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue
my friends faked me out for a whole day, letting me think that they had forgotten my birthday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to evade
to elude (an opponent in a sports contest) by making a deceptive or agile movement
used a quick between-the-legs dribble to fake out the flat-footed defender
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 out
After the match, Kidd and Finlay, along with Clark Connors, attack Cassidy and Allin until Roderick Strong walks down to the ring, fakes out The Dogs and helps Cassidy and Allin get retribution.
—
Rob Wolkenbrod,
Forbes.com,
12 Mar. 2026
In the 80th minute, Denkey received an assist from Ender Echenique, faking out goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos before finishing with his left foot between a pair of defenders.
—
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
Drake preferred to fake out a defender and run right by them.
—
Diamond Vences,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
Great fake out by the production team as Savannah then surprised everyone (and maybe even herself) by winning.
—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fake out
Rob Wolkenbrod,
Forbes.com,
12 Mar. 2026
In the 80th minute, Denkey received an assist from Ender Echenique, faking out goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos before finishing with his left foot between a pair of defenders.
—
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
Drake preferred to fake out a defender and run right by them.
—
Diamond Vences,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
Great fake out by the production team as Savannah then surprised everyone (and maybe even herself) by winning.
—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fake out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fake out
Verb
-
Ricky Saints tricked the referee into thinking Lil Yachty used the kendo stick on him, and after traveling all the way to Riyadh, Yachty was tossed out just minutes into the match.
-
Use a password manager so fake sites do not trick you into reusing passwords.
Verb
-
The suspect, 30‑year‑old Trevion Mark of Fort Worth, was arrested nearby without incident and charged with reckless endangerment and evading arrest in a motor vehicle, according to DPS.
-
Mark was charged with reckless endangerment and evading arrest in a motor vehicle and booked into the Tarrant County Jail.
Verb
-
Don’t be fooled by their jaw-dropping price; the flats boast a luxe look thanks to their low profile and—of course—glove silhouette.
-
The fluffy blooms on mimosa trees (Albizia julibrissin) look pretty in pink, but don’t be fooled by their dainty appearance.
Verb
-
Eight pages later, Leucippe has to fake her own beheading to escape from pirates.
-
Huskins Quinn’s case gained national attention after Vallejo police wrongly accused her of faking her disappearance.
Verb
-
Appearance, though, can be deceiving, but luckily, this shed is still packed with smart features and a clever design that will keep all your belongings safe.
-
Here, however, the joke is that appearances can be deceiving — or to be more specific, that trying to act like a character in a movie is a reckless, unwise thing to do.
Verb
-
There’s a reason they’re strung along restaurant patios and hung for wedding receptions.
-
Sure enough, Dick took off with the other packhorses stringing along behind him.
Verb
-
But in the crowded and stressful rush of everyday life, they will get sucked in.
-
But before it’s sucked in, some of it gets blown back by winds created by the black hole’s intense pressure and friction.
Cite this Entry
“Fake out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake%20out. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
