UNAUTHENTIC Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

unauthentic

adjective

ˌən-ə-ˈthen-tik

Definition of unauthentic

as in counterfeit

being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud trying to sell unauthentic autographs of American presidents

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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 unauthentic Moore said that no matter how famous a host or a guest is, or how elaborate and slick a production is, an unauthentic product will not resonate with audiences. — Yahya Salem, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025 Inaccurate debunks Amid the recycled imagery, authentic pictures of National Guard members sleeping on the floor of a federal building in Los Angeles this week were falsely described as old or unauthentic. — Emma Li, CBS News, 11 June 2025 Both games made changes to the core formula that longtime players didn't appreciate, such as an influx of unauthentic skins and a departure from the class system. — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025 Its ability to accurately discern and promptly respond to unauthentic negative reviews allows businesses to maintain a legitimate, trustworthy online image. — Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 26 July 2023 Kingsford, has seen many American-Spanish restaurants in Rhode Island prepare paella, which requires a crunchy outside, in an unauthentic way. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 2 June 2022

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unauthentic

Adjective

Families typically will have no way of knowing what materials are inside counterfeit products.

— Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 13 Aug. 2026
The murder case is based upon the legal theory that Batsukh knowingly introduced the danger to Wilson despite his knowledge that the pills were counterfeit and unsafe.

— Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of counterfeit

Adjective

The company behind a poll that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass touted as showing her with a double-digit lead in the mayoral race said the survey was entirely fake and part of a social experiment.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 18 Aug. 2026
There’s much more for fans of special effects to discover, from the practical snow used whenever feasible to the geysers of fake blood used to comedic effect.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of fake

Adjective

But to build a web of accusations based on false premises and the manipulation of reality in order to attack the Biennale and a film invited to compete is a petty and unacceptable act.

— John Bleasdale, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
China’s aircraft engineers have warned that artificial intelligence could feed false data into military intelligence, potentially distorting the design and operation of advanced weapons.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of false

Adjective

Marketers have long used inauthentic social media posts to boost visibility, but the rise of chatbots has opened a new front.

— Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026
For graduates pessimistic about AI’s implications for the labor market, claims professing its value feel inauthentic.

— Evan Clarkson, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of inauthentic

Adjective

Last month’s board election was tainted by forged ballots, including one with a voter’s name misspelled.

— Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
She was additionally found guilty of insurance fraud for taking out a $100,000 insurance policy on her husband's life with his forged signature and for submitting a claim following his death.

— Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 May 2026