1
as in deceiving
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 evading
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of faking out
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
Among the highlights was Dart taking off in the first quarter, faking out several Eagles defenders, and running to the endzone for a 20-yard touchdown.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
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
ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Among the highlights was Dart taking off in the first quarter, faking out several Eagles defenders, and running to the endzone for a 20-yard touchdown.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faking out
Verb
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Nope, that's not your eyes deceiving you.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
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There is the belief, one expressed by Payton, that free agents can be deceiving.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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He is charged with evading arrest or detention with a vehicle — a third-degree felony — along with multiple traffic offenses.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Mar. 2026
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Arnel Belizaire, a member of Haiti's parliament, was arrested on charges including financing terrorism and conspiracy against state security after evading national police for two months, authorities said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell issued a joint consumer alert on Wednesday describing the scheme, which appears to be part of a nationwide scam tricking people into making payments.—
Aldo Toledo,
San Francisco Chronicle,
18 Mar. 2026
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The peach-plum gradient gown is the creation of Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen, whose high-fantasy sculptural gowns emphasize movement and eye-tricking form, often to gravity-defying effect.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Baio says Kassotis has been fooling people for years.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Indeed, depth would only get in the way of the plot, which is primarily concerned with fooling you and fooling you again.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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However, while there may be no blood sucking in this particular novel, that doesn’t mean that the adaptation doesn’t have Rice’s trademark sensuality.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
12 Nov. 2025
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Julia thinks so too, and presses in, sucking in a breath when Ellen mentions Fairy Hill and how people dance into the nights and wake up a hundred years later.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Just as Balliett cast a wide net, taking in everything from Teddy Wilson’s swing to Ornette Coleman’s avant-garde harmolodics, Tad was boundlessly open to all traditions and experiments.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
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Where Crumbs chased a Nasdaq listing and Sprinkles sold to private equity, Baked by Melissa stayed private, taking in just $6 million in outside funding in their 18 year tenure and keeping a light footprint.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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So what impact are tariffs having on small businesses, and how are larger retailers able to skirt their impact?—
Shawn Baldwin,
CNBC,
7 Nov. 2025
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What effect is this having on the WNBA?—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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DeVos wasn’t kidding, and on Monday, in front of close friends and family, current and former Magic executives and employees and local community leaders, a plaque was unveiled with Martins’ name on it at the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame that’s located in Kia Center on the terrace level.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
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McKneely wasn’t kidding about the staples being removed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Faking out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faking%20out. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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