fake

/feɪk/

/feɪk/

Other forms: faked; fakes; faking

You should have known that copy of the "Declaration of Independence" was a fake when you saw it was signed by "Jon Hancrock" instead of "John Hancock." Something that's fake isn't authentic.

A person who falsely claims to be, feel, or do something can be said to be fake. When your friend acts sweet but spreads rumors about you behind your back, you can call her a fake. As a verb, fake means to take an action with the intent to deceive. If you've ever tried to fake a grade on your report card, you know that it's especially hard to change an F to an A.

Definitions of fake

1. noun

   something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be
   synonyms: postiche, sham

   types:

   fake book

   a fake in the form of an imitation book; used to fill bookcases of people who wish to appear scholarly

   Potemkin village

   something that seems impressive but in fact lacks substance

   type of:

   imitation

   something copied or derived from an original
2. noun

   a person who makes deceitful pretenses
   synonyms: faker, fraud, humbug, imposter, impostor, pretender, pseud, pseudo, role player, sham, shammer

   types:

   name dropper

   someone who pretends that famous people are his/her friends

   ringer

   a contestant entered in a competition under false pretenses

   type of:

   beguiler, cheat, cheater, deceiver, slicker, trickster

   someone who leads you to believe something that is not true
3. noun

   (football) a deceptive move made by a football player
   synonyms: juke

   type of:

   feint

   any distracting or deceptive maneuver (as a mock attack)
4. adjective

   not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article
   “it isn't fake anything”

   synonyms: false, faux, imitation, simulated

   artificial, unreal

   contrived by art rather than nature
5. adjective

   fraudulent; having a misleading appearance
   synonyms: bastard, bogus, phoney, phony

   counterfeit, imitative

   not genuine; imitating something superior
6. verb

   make a copy of with the intent to deceive
   “he faked the signature”

   synonyms: counterfeit, forge

   type of:

   re-create

   create anew
7. verb

   tamper, with the purpose of deception
   synonyms: cook, falsify, fudge, manipulate, misrepresent, wangle

   types:

   juggle

   manipulate by or as if by moving around components

   type of:

   cheat, chisel

   engage in deceitful behavior; practice trickery or fraud
8. verb

   speak insincerely or without regard for facts or truths
   “The politician was not well prepared for the debate and faked it”

   synonyms: bull, talk through one's hat

   type of:

   affect, dissemble, feign, pretend, sham

   make believe with the intent to deceive