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Definition of fakenext
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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)

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
Continue reading … FATAL TURN — Elderly couple found dead after fake celebrity romance raised red flags. FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026 Plus, heaven and hell are fake places, James! Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
Noun
If a fingerprint or iris database is breached, a thief still needs to physically present that finger or eye, or a fake of it, to a scanner. Jonathan S. Weissman, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2026 Swift’s likeness has been used without permission in numerous AI fakes, including by Meta’s AI chatbots and in pornographic images that have circulated on the internet. Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
Mind you, the ShipSpotting Vietnam channel has seen fit to slap an egregiously dishonest thumbnail on this video, clearly faked up using AI. Loz Blain may 14, New Atlas, 14 May 2026 The city has been wildly overspending, faking a balanced budget with rosy projections of revenue and raids on the city’s budget reserves. Susan Shelley, Daily News, 13 May 2026
Noun
What would be the point of them doing obvious fakery? Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026 Texas politics, no stranger to dirty tricks, now heads into a hypercharged 2026 election season with few rules governing artificial intelligence, as cheap, realistic tools have made campaign fakery easier to create and harder to detect. Philip Jankowski, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fake
Adjective
  • Unlike the show’s first teaser, the new clip includes footage of Jordan using his power ring to manifest shields, take flight and even create counterfeit money.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
  • The report places some of the blame on social media platforms and e-commerce websites for facilitating counterfeit sales through influencer promotion and links to fake websites.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • Earlier this year, Target was one of the first national retailers to raise the wellness bar by banning all cereals made with synthetic dyes and colors from its shelves.
    Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
  • Target will also carry a Froot Loops Wild Berry cereal made without certified synthetic colors.
    Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • Strangers are matched by experts and move in together after mock wedding ceremonies.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 May 2026
  • The first mock drafts tend to go up just after the previous year’s real draft ends.
    Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • With two outs already recorded in the inning, Rodón surrendered a double to Carson Benge before issuing walks to Bo Bichette and Juan Soto.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 17 May 2026
  • Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson took a double minor for high-sticking, and Jason Zucker scored on the power play to get the Sabres back within one going into the first intermission.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • All of the threats, including the one at Zoo Atlanta, turned out to be hoaxes.
    Dan Raby, CBS News, 18 May 2026
  • The case of Sherri Papini, the young woman who shocked the nation with a multi-year kidnapping hoax, has been the subject of multiple documentaries since her conviction in 2022.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • The arrest of a North Miami Beach condominium property manager in early April serves as a reminder for Florida condominium associations of the potential for fraud involving construction and renovation projects.
    Meily Perez, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
  • Meanwhile, Minnesota seems to be the fraud capital these days.
    Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • Applied Intuition also acquired EpiSci last year to integrate its tactical AI, and forged an alliance with defense business SNC to fast-track autonomy on the battlefield.
    Rebecca Fannin, CNBC, 19 May 2026
  • That laboratory forged a generation of key industry people, including Renzo Rosso, Claudio Buziol, Enzo Fusco, Katahrine Hamnett, Betsey Johnson and many others.
    Maria Cristina Pavarini, Footwear News, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • The two initially make a deal where Hannah exchanges free tutoring lessons for Garrett pretending to be her boyfriend, making her crush jealous.
    Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
  • With the war’s turbulence on the economy more prevalent and the internet now throttled, Russians no longer have the luxury of pretending the war in Ukraine isn’t happening.
    Daniel DePetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fake. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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