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
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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
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Recent Examples of fake out
Old Dominion started fast, with quarterback Colton Joseph faking out the Hoosiers defense on the first offensive play of the game and sprinting 75 yards for a touchdown.
—
Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
The plan is to fake out territorial wasps who will avoid an area where other wasps already reside.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
Instead, Baty double-clutched as if trying to fake out Smith.
—Will Sammon, New York Times, 6 June 2025
Near the end of the run, Fiske made a terrific move to fake out a would-be tackler.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for fake out
Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
The plan is to fake out territorial wasps who will avoid an area where other wasps already reside.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
Instead, Baty double-clutched as if trying to fake out Smith.
—Will Sammon, New York Times, 6 June 2025
Near the end of the run, Fiske made a terrific move to fake out a would-be tackler.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for fake out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fake out
Verb
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Extreme Weather Protection Mother Nature can trick us and send in one last big cold front in late winter.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
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Hill and Bowman run through all those reasons people use to avoid exercise, work through how the brain is trying to trick you and explain how to overcome that particular trap.—
Leying Tang,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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An all-cash purchase avoids scrutiny from financial institutions and evades mandatory reporting.—
Virginia Hammerle,
Dallas Morning News,
22 Feb. 2026
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What emerged, Jackson told the court Thursday, was the portrait of a transient and calculating offender who operated across multiple states and evaded law enforcement for years.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Don’t be fooled by their jaw-dropping price, the pants deliver an expensive air regardless of how they’re styled.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
23 Feb. 2026
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Looks cool, but still can’t fool former CNNers.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And those who fake their own deaths usually get caught.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
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To fake the airbrush vibe, grab a makeup sponge and dap on the polish.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The conservative-majority court agreed to take up a case from Boulder, Colorado, among a series of lawsuits alleging the companies deceived the public about how fossil fuels contribute to climate change.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2026
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The conservative-majority court agreed to take up a case from Boulder, among a series of lawsuits alleging the companies deceived the public about how fossil fuels contribute to climate change.—
Lindsay Whitehurst,
Denver Post,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mario Campos would build and work on houses well into his 70s, including a string along SW 25th Street in Miami that belonged to his extended family.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
17 Jan. 2026
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Christmas lights glow above, strung along the streetlamps, incongruous against the heavy security presence that dominates the scene.—
Keir Simmons,
NBC news,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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With the two at his side in the postgame media session, Horned Frogs coach Mark Campbell got sucked in.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
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Lauren, who might also have been Catholic, sucked in her breath.—
Nell Freudenberger,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fake out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake%20out. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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