1
as in to trick
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 to evade
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fake out
Great fake out by the production team as Savannah then surprised everyone (and maybe even herself) by winning.
—
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Dec. 2025
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
The plan is to fake out territorial wasps who will avoid an area where other wasps already reside.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fake out
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Dec. 2025
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
The plan is to fake out territorial wasps who will avoid an area where other wasps already reside.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fake out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fake out
Verb
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Not long before Brettler's death, Sharma had learned the kid had tricked him.—
Frank Langfitt,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
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Read how North Korean hackers tricked Ben and got into his computer.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The records also show Renfro is facing several other charges from previous cases, including assault causing bodily injury, assault causing bodily injury-family violence, evading arrest or detention, and continuous violence against the family.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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This was an incredibly complex and dangerous operation for the rescue team and for that missing Air Force aviator who had evaded capture behind enemy lines for days.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But don’t let the gentle reputation fool you; peptides are still putting in hard work.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
6 Apr. 2026
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Don’t be fooled by upstart Indiana’s run to the recent football title.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The companies involved were accused of faking documents presented to Nepali authorities and insurance companies, as well as forging passenger and cargo manifests, Nepali police said in a press release last month.—
Manish Paudel,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
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Returning the favor Kitty did for her earlier in Season 3 by visiting her in New York during a turbulent time with her longtime boyfriend Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), Kitty’s older sister Lara Jean (Lana Condor) fakes norovirus to fly to Seoul and take care of Kitty post-Chuseok chaos.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Memento has withstood the test of time, thanks to memorable performances, intricately layered storytelling, and what the film ultimately reveals about our all-too-human willingness to deceive ourselves in order to escape unpleasant truths.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 Apr. 2026
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Through the window, the lack of visible trees suggested a barren landscape, but looks are deceiving.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Above them, flags from Latin American countries are strung along the ceiling.—
Meg Anderson,
NPR,
22 Mar. 2026
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The new version will ultimately feature twice as many lights, with half of them strung along the interior sides of the cables facing Oakland.—
Rachel Swan,
San Francisco Chronicle,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Air travelers across the country have been suck in longer-than-usual lines in recent weeks.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
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The easy availability means that people who otherwise might not have been tempted have gotten sucked in.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fake out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake%20out. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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