fake 1 of 4

adjective

ˈfāk How to pronounce fake (audio)
Definition of fakenext
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

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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

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3
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality the boss's pitiful attempts at humor were met with fake laughter

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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

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fake

2 of 4

noun (1)

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

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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

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fake

3 of 4

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

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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

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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

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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

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fakery

4 of 4

noun (2)

as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery if the product were any good, the company wouldn't have to resort to fakery to get people to buy it

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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
Meanwhile, the Iranian operation involved seven fake journalist personas that were used to pitch long-form articles to news outlets. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026 The vendors spread their wares—the fake Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches, Gucci wallets, and Prada sunglasses—across blankets and folding tables. — Daniel Edward Rosen, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
In terms of the fake-out, yeah, just a tiny little goose for the last moment. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 Even Jamal Murray, who prides himself on not being a foul-baiter, couldn’t resist leaning into Darryn Peterson after the rookie left his feet on a shot fake. — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 Jones blitzed from the right side of the Rams’ formation and initially moved toward running back Blake Corum as Stafford faked a handoff. — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
The green-screen effects are knowing in their outright fakery; the nerdiness of the whole enterprise is lampshaded with a whole setpiece in a comic-book store. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 June 2026 In that vacuum, fakery thrives. — Lane Brown, Vulture, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for fake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fake
  1. counterfeit
  2. faux
  3. mock
  4. double
  5. hoax
  6. fraud
  7. forge
  8. pretend
Adjective
  • There was a modest 5% rise in counterfeit sports cards, yet a 125% increase in fake Pokémon cards.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In 2019, Italian police arrested three people in a scheme to sell at least 11,000 counterfeit bottles of Tignanello in Italy, Germany and Belgium, labeled as 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages but filled with low-quality wine.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of counterfeit
Adjective
  • Experts called plumassiers, or feather specialists, would often collaborate with fashion houses and incorporate feathers, both faux and real, into designs for couture and ready-to-wear collections.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The ground floor features an 18-seat bar with a rum wall backsplash, carved Moai heads and high-tops that spill out to a lush faux-grass courtyard framed in palm trees and tiki-totem pillars.
    — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • Carson and Guillermo stepped onto the dance floor with sunglasses and A-list celebrity swagger as flashes from mock photographers filled the introduction.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In another thread, Strong’s Zuckerberg twitches with irritation through mock congressional hearings, with a PR team headed by crisis management specialist Raya (Wunmi Mosaku), whose task is to make the Facebook CEO likable.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of mock
Adjective
  • Travel and tech accessories include a multi zip case, passport sleeve, double zip wash bag, small laptop case, large flat card holder, key ring with leather strap, and sunglasses case.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Sal Frelick robbed Freddie Freeman of a double with a nice running catch in the right center field gap, but an error on a pickoff attempt at first base brought Edman in to score.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of double
Noun
  • Yet, our president is dismissing all of the concerns as a hoax.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • After roughly two days of investigation, police informed the public the entire panic was driven by a hoax.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of hoax
Noun
  • Collins noted that Kao, who was facing federal charges at the time, was convicted of money laundering and bank fraud.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Molloy’s fraud was on Southeastern, a National Rail operator, rather than the Tube, but fare evasion still costs London’s transit system heavily.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of fraud
Verb
  • Givenchy was also fascinating, as Marco de Vincenzo is forging a new language for accessories there.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • This latest round of funding supports an exciting range of projects from emerging creatives forging new paths to established voices exploring new creative territory.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of forge
Verb
  • Traditional American business values like social responsibility, community involvement, and customer service — y’know, the things companies used to at least pretend to care about — have been tossed aside.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone pretends the films were chosen purely on merit, but the slate often reads Hollywood with a lanyard and a conscience.
    — Joseph Kahn, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of pretend

Phrases Containing fake

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faiths
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faked
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Cite this Entry

“Fake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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