fake 1 of 4

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fake

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noun (1)

fake

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

fakery

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noun (2)

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fake documents
counterfeit documents
falsified documents
fraudulent documents
phony documents
bogus documents
a fake identity
a falsified identity
a fraudulent identity
a counterfeit identity
a fictitious identity
a feigned identity
fake news
bogus news
phony news
a fake smile
an inauthentic smile
a feigned smile
a hollow smile
a counterfeit smile
a phony smile

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
The room was hotel fancy: a lot of shiny fake wood paneling and inoffensive carpeting. Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 9 July 2025 Following the wildfires in Los Angeles in January, fake images showed the Hollywood sign on fire—though the area was not in the path of the fire. Simmone Shah, Time, 9 July 2025
Noun
Any such messages are malicious fakes and should be deleted right away. Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 Another drawback to resale is the risk of purchasing a fake. Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 17 June 2025
Verb
Recognition, team culture and meaningful work matter, and they can’t be faked or bought. Ivan Terzi, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 Prosecutors allege that, between 2016 and early this year, a four-person ring helped 24 healthy men dodge the draft by faking high blood pressure to gain a medical exemption, netting a total of 7.63 million Taiwanese dollars ($255,000). Will Ripley, CNN Money, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fake
Adjective
  • Another respondent described neighbors overdosing on counterfeit Chinese drugs.
    Will Ripley, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
  • Enrico Ronquillo, 37, was indicted for using a counterfeit driver’s license and a birth certificate – both from California – to impersonate a U.S. citizen from May 11 to 14, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska said in a June 16 news release.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • Commissioner of the Food and Drugs Administration Marty Makary speaks at a news conference on removing synthetic dyes from America’s food supply, at the Health and Human Services Headquarters in Washington, DC on April 22, 2025.
    Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 11 July 2025
  • Some supplements also use synthetic sweeteners or sugar, said Hirsch, which is important for people with diabetes to know.
    Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • In a recent mock draft, Baseball America speculated the Sox would select Florida State left-hander Jamie Arnold if the run on prep shortstops left him on the board.
    Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • Ali had ceased looking towards the horizon long before the luminous blue of it became a mock memory.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • The soundtrack that accompanied her film A Star Is Born, which is credited to the singer-songwriter as well as Bradley Cooper, was certified double platinum back in 2019.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • The unfortunate frame began with a Davis Schneider double, which knocked Carlos Rodón out of the game.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Those helming businesses are required to make a crucial call about staying the course amid uncertainty or forging a brave, new path.
    Naazneen Karmali, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
  • Combs founded Bad Boy Records in 1993 and forged a roster of stars that jettisoned hip-hop into the mainstream, including the late Notorious B.I.G., Mase, Faith Evans and the groups 112 and Total, among others.
    Curtis Bunn, NBC news, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • Your audience sees through attempts to brag while pretending to be humble.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • The scams might start out with a text from someone pretending to be a government official, such as a local sheriff.
    Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • For its 86th summer season, Del Mar has concocted a schedule filled with food-centric festivities, sips, handicapping and tips, blended in with world-class thoroughbred racing.
    Kelley Carlson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 July 2025
  • At the end of the semester, Domokos asked him to concoct a simple algorithm to explore how tetrahedra balance.
    Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Dexter stalks his next victim (Marc Menchaca) — a killer who targets ride-share drivers — while the ghost of his father Harry (James Remar) urges him to be careful, and a fidgety Harrison tries to evade police suspicions.
    EW.com, EW.com, 10 July 2025
  • Ten people involved in the ambush were arrested that night or early the next morning, but Song evaded capture, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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