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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fake

Adjective

Groups like the Electoral Integrity Project have spent countless hours going door to door trying to find fake voters on those rolls and have yet to present a single case of a fake voter. — The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 7 July 2026

Savannah, who returned to Today in April, released a statement to local news station KOLD on Wednesday after it was determined ransom notes related to the case were fake. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026

Noun

Designer Goods Be wary of inexpensive luxury handbags and shoes, as there are plenty of convincing fakes floating around. — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 19 June 2026

The fakes are similar to the genuine article in appearance, but some show poor craftsmanship. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 June 2026

Verb

Suppose that a hundred forty-year-olds fake their ages so that on official documents they’re listed as fifty. — Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

And there’s no evidence, no evidence, zero evidence in this country, that there is a problem at scale with people faking their identification in elections. — NBC news, 28 June 2026

Phrases Containing fake

• fake out