fake 1 of 3

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 3

noun

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 3

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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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
Among his possessions at the time of his death were a Social Security card and multiple IDs belonging to different dead men, a common way to craft fake identities. — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 Davy enhanced Cassie’s lips using a big lip liner and added fake freckles, a reflection of TikTok and Instagram trends. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
In this case, as staff eventually discovered, the box had been returned – but the books themselves had been replaced with fakes. — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 15 July 2026 Some of the manuscripts were never returned, while others were replaced with fakes. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 13 July 2026
Verb
The same survey found that 73% of managers admit to faking productivity for their own bosses. — Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The not-so-fleet-of-foot Contreras faked home, but stayed at third. — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 31 July 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
  • 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
  • Add black ribbon or a handful of faux spider webs for Halloween, and swap out later with autumnal foliage for Thanksgiving.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But with sneakers strewn in the doorway and a cookbook opened to a specific recipe, the faux house felt lived in.
    — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • Featuring a slimming silhouette, this mock-neck sweater is polished enough for the office but can pull double duty as casual wear on the weekends.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Participants will tour city buildings, engage in mock activities and meet directly with department leaders from City Hall, Finance, Police, Fire and Public Works, the release said.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of mock
Adjective
  • According to folklore, Friday plus 13 equals a double dose of bad luck.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The 5th District saw more than double the amount of votes cast in its Congressional primary than in the 4th, and the gap in support between candidates was much more decisive.
    — Angela Eichhorst, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of double
Noun
  • Falsehoods circulate claiming that the virus is a hoax, that health workers are profiting from the outbreak, or that hospitals are withholding lifesaving treatments.
    — Prosper Heri Ngorora, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Rumors claim that the virus is a hoax, that health workers are profiting from the outbreak or that hospitals are withholding lifesaving treatments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of hoax
Noun
  • The State Bar also provides consumer information about avoiding legal fraud, including the unauthorized practice of law, and tips about avoiding immigration legal services fraud.
    — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • They are further accused of common law fraud and equitable fraud.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of fraud
Verb
  • Deborah is forging her own stylish reputation wearing Balmain and a Chanel look of her own.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The company has forged ties to the White House and its tech portfolio stands to benefit from the minimal regulatory policies that some of Andreessen Horowitz’s team is pressing in Washington.
    — Josh Sisco, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of forge
Verb
  • Storch does not pretend to be a long-distance lover of English football.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • An ostrich recommends that Taylor hide and pretend nothing happened.
    — Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretend

Phrases Containing fake

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faiths
fake
faked
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Cite this Entry

“Fake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of fake for Spanish Speakers

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