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
To do so, the New Yorker allegedly used a fake sweepstakes scheme and utilized her employee travel benefits to visit the victim’s Palm Coast home, according to investigators. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2026 Once in California, however, most patients found that the promises were fake, according to an FBI agent affidavit. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Noun
Matthew Stafford’s eye fakes and quick snaps may test Buffalo’s defense, while Bills edge rusher Greg Rousseau and the arm strength of Josh Allen pose challenges for the Rams. — Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 For businesses that rely on video conferencing to close deals and communicate with partners, Resemble AI notes that its enterprise tech uses deepfake detection models designed to spot convincing fakes. — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
Prosecutors accused them of using AI to fake voices and images of Vietnamese leaders, illustrating how prosecutions can target political criticism. — Jordi Calvet-Bademunt, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026 Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert faked a screen before giving himself up without gaining a yard, allowing defensive tackles Chris Jones and Peter Woods to split their first sack of the season. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
That’s the deficiency side of integrity—where authenticity gives way to fakery, consistency erodes into unpredictability, and transparency slips into manipulation…But swing too far in the other direction, and the skyscraper becomes overly rigid—too stiff to sway with the wind. — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 23 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
  • His political strategists packed the convention hall with his supporters, even passing out counterfeit tickets.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Investigators had been looking into whether the actress obtained illicit and possibly counterfeit drugs from a dealer in Southern California.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of counterfeit
Adjective
  • For the fashion lover who prefers to make a statement, look to the collection’s red-hot faux-fur Madison shoulder bag.
    — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
  • An electric fireplace and lots of glazing round out the space, and the timber shiplap finish and faux stone fireplace surround are a nice touch, lending it a cabin-like look.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • In it, Stanford University psychologist Philip Zimbardo had 24 male college students randomly assigned to play guards or inmates in a mock prison to see how power structures could affect the behavior of ordinary people.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Customs Air and Marine Operations agents also put on a show in Government Cut with a Blackhawk helicopter and two Customs boats chasing down agents in a mock smuggling vessel.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of mock
Adjective
  • By refining double magnetic resonance for a single atom, the team demonstrated a way to address these different magnetic components independently.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Jackson Chourio had a single and double, improving to 10 for 20 in the Series.
    — Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of double
Noun
  • Matthew Unglesbee, a 36-year-old resident of Quincy in southwestern Illinois, was charged with violations related to false information and hoaxes and mailing threatening communications.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Unglesbee, of Quincy in southwestern Illinois, is charged with mailing threatening communications and perpetrating a hoax.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of hoax
Noun
  • Cárdenas played a pivotal role in Mexico's democratization, beginning with his first presidential bid in 1988, which ended in a defeat widely regarded as the result of widespread electoral fraud.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
  • With first-party fraud and friendly disputes eroding already thin retail margins, managing chargebacks requires far more than basic operational recovery.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of fraud
Verb
  • Bahl said the film centers on music, identity and belonging, and takes place in a period when a generation was forging a cultural identity of its own.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Arden, of course, is a director who knows both how to create potent visual pictures and how to forge kinetic movement within them.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of forge
Verb
  • The New York governor signed two bills this morning barring companies from offering some AI chatbot features to users under 18—like pretending to be a real person or to have human emotions, or people-pleasing as a way to keep users engaged.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone is pretending all the time, no one can ever be themselves, and so each of us, in our own way, is sealed inside something that doesn’t exist and that, deep down, makes no apparent sense whatsoever.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of pretend

Phrases Containing fake

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Cite this Entry

“Fake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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