variants
or imposters
as in frauds
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
the man who claimed to be a prince turned out to be an impostor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 impostors
Soon ransom demands started coming in — although many are believed to be from impostors.
—
Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026
The impostors have been presenting themselves as representatives of the Texas Department of Insurance's Division of Workers' Compensation.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
According to the Federal Trade Commission, imposters posing as government agencies were one of the top reported scams in the Arizona, costing consumers more than $20 million in 2025.
—Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
And when stuck in this uncomfortable space, people who feel like impostors are likely to become defensive and feel pressured to be a hero.
—John M. Lavelle, The Conversation, 9 Dec. 2025
An information vacuum seems to have encouraged imposters.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
Compass’ Shane Boyle is one of the dozens of real estate brokers who these imposters are pretending to be.
—Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
McKelway, who wrote for the magazine from the nineteen-thirties to the sixties, specialized in true-crime stories, bringing to life a gallery of scamps and swindlers and impostors.
—David Grann, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
By the finale, the galactic chessboard is crowded with players—emperors, rebels, prophets, impostors—but as Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) warned in the very first episode, the center cannot hold.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026
The impostors have been presenting themselves as representatives of the Texas Department of Insurance's Division of Workers' Compensation.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
According to the Federal Trade Commission, imposters posing as government agencies were one of the top reported scams in the Arizona, costing consumers more than $20 million in 2025.
—Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
And when stuck in this uncomfortable space, people who feel like impostors are likely to become defensive and feel pressured to be a hero.
—John M. Lavelle, The Conversation, 9 Dec. 2025
An information vacuum seems to have encouraged imposters.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
Compass’ Shane Boyle is one of the dozens of real estate brokers who these imposters are pretending to be.
—Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
McKelway, who wrote for the magazine from the nineteen-thirties to the sixties, specialized in true-crime stories, bringing to life a gallery of scamps and swindlers and impostors.
—David Grann, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
By the finale, the galactic chessboard is crowded with players—emperors, rebels, prophets, impostors—but as Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) warned in the very first episode, the center cannot hold.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impostors
Noun
-
There are some elite frauds going on in the sports world right now.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
That will weed out the frauds, freeloaders and slumlords.—
Scott Ostler,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
McEnelly played defense the rest of the way, mixing in fakes where needed to keep Welsh at bay.—
Twin Cities,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Nembhard had to toss the ball out to Pascal Siakam after failing to get Wembanyama to jump on two fakes under the rim.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These two pretenders reflect an insider debate whose subject is not the existence of the Islamic Republic but the best method of its survival.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The gauzy texture is made from organic cotton, and the decorative pillow shams have a highly dimensional stitching.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Madison Park Willa 6-Piece Cotton Quilt Set Bring light, spring energy into your bedroom with this quilt set that comes with matching floral shams and throw pillows.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impostors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impostors. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
