fake

¹

[ feyk ]

verb (used with object)

, faked, fak·ing.

1. prepare or make (something specious, deceptive, or fraudulent):

   to fake a report showing nonexistent profits.

2. to conceal the defects of or make appear more attractive, interesting, valuable, etc., usually in order to deceive:

   The story was faked a bit to make it more sensational.

3. to pretend; simulate:

   to fake illness.

   Synonyms: fabricate, sham, dissemble, affect, feign

4. to accomplish by trial and error or by improvising:

   I don't know the job, but I can fake it.

5. to trick or deceive (an opponent) by making a fake (often followed by out ):

   The running back faked out the defender with a deft move and scored.

6. Jazz.
   1. to improvise:

      to fake an accompaniment.

   2. to play (music) without reading from a score.

verb (used without object)

, faked, fak·ing.

1. to fake something; pretend.
2. to give a fake to an opponent.

noun

1. anything made to appear otherwise than it actually is; counterfeit:

   This diamond necklace is a fake.

2. a person who fakes; faker:

   The doctor with the reputed cure for cancer proved to be a fake.

   Synonyms: deceiver, charlatan, quack, impostor, fraud

3. a spurious report or story.
4. Sports. a simulated play or move intended to deceive an opponent.

adjective

1. designed to deceive or cheat; not real; counterfeit.

verb phrase

1. Slang.
   1. to trick; deceive:

      She faked me out by acting friendly and then stole my job.

   2. to surprise, as by a sudden reversal:

      They thought we weren't coming back, but we faked them out by showing up during dinner.

fake

²

[ feyk ]

verb (used with object)

, faked, fak·ing.

1. to lay (a rope) in a coil or series of long loops so as to allow to run freely without fouling or kinking (often followed by down ).

noun

1. any complete turn of a rope that has been faked down.
2. any of the various ways in which a rope may be faked down.

fake

¹

/ feɪk /

verb

1. tr to cause (something inferior or not genuine) to appear more valuable, desirable, or real by fraud or pretence
2. to pretend to have (an illness, emotion, etc)

   to fake a headache

3. to improvise (music, stage dialogue, etc)

noun

1. an object, person, or act that is not genuine; sham, counterfeit, or forgery

adjective

1. not genuine; spurious

fake

²

/ feɪk /

verb

1. trusually foll bydown to coil (a rope) on deck

noun

1. one round of a coil of rope

Derived Forms

• ˈfakery, noun
• ˈfaker, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fake¹

First recorded in 1805–15; originally vagrants' slang: “to do for, rob, kill (someone), shape (something)”; perhaps variant of obsolete feak, feague “to beat,” akin to Dutch veeg “a slap,” vegen “to sweep, wipe”

Origin of fake²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English faken “to coil (a rope),” of obscure origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of fake¹

originally (C18) thieves' slang to mug or do someone; probably via Polari from Italian facciare to make or do

Origin of fake²

Middle English faken , perhaps via Lingua Franca from Italian facciare to make or do; see fake ¹

Example Sentences

With misinformation and disinformation about the pandemic, “cheap” and “deep” fakes of elected officials, and targeted ads and emotionally exploitative social media algorithms, it can begin to feel like all communication is manipulation.

From Nautilus

The state’s watchdog, however, argued that the company could falsely spread its rates over a fake population, giving the illusion that customers were getting a cost cut.

From Voice of San Diego

She has coiffed hair and long fake eyelashes, but still puts in the same work everybody else does, taking orders and doing deliveries.

From ProPublica

You see how good we’re doing relative to other countries and other parts of the world, but the fake news doesn’t like saying that, they don’t like telling you that.

From Vox

However, the new “fake news” bill would bypass the framework, allowing legislators to create a mechanism that could be used to restrict that freedom for millions of Brazilians.

From MIT Technology Review

Just how many fake nodes would be needed in order to pull off a successful Sybil attack against Tor is not known.

From The Daily Beast

He cast her as Hope, an ex-addict with an impressive pair of fake chompers—the result of years of drug abuse.

From The Daily Beast

There are many of us who need to talk and be reached out to, even if we use fake Facebook accounts for our safety.

From The Daily Beast

A call made to police beforehand described Rice as “a guy with a pistol” on a swing set, but said it was “probably fake.”

From The Daily Beast

Crooks can use it to apply for credit, file fake claims with insurers, or buy drugs and medical equipment that can be resold.

From The Daily Beast

And then all motion in that portion of the great fake would suddenly cease.

From Project Gutenberg

Within six months, if you're not sandbagged or jailed on fake libel suits, you'll have a unique bibliography of swindles.

From Project Gutenberg

"I'll bet he's got some kind of a fake story to tell," suggested Will.

From Project Gutenberg

It might just as well have been any other patent medicine, or any fake cure.

From Project Gutenberg

If you happen to drift into the fake places, nothing more serious would happen than getting stuck good and hard.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• counterfeit
• deception
• fabrication
• forgery
• hoax
• phony
• scam
• sham
• trick

More About Fake

What is a basic definition of fake?

Fake describes something as not being real or as being an imitation that is designed to trick someone into thinking it is real or original. Fake also refers to a forgery or copy and is used to mean to pretend. Fake has several other senses as a noun and a verb.

If something is fake, it resembles something else but isn’t exactly the same. For example, a diamond is made from pressurized carbon over thousands of years. A fake diamond might have been made from glass in five minutes.

Most of the time, fake things are designed to be nearly identical to the original in order to trick or cheat someone. But not always. A resort might make fake snow out of crushed ice so it can offer skiing or snowboarding when it hasn’t snowed. The key is whether something is acknowledged or labelled as fake. Lying to customers by claiming that fake items are real is considered fraud and is against the law.

• Real-life examples: Con artists often swindle people by selling fake jewelry, watches, antiques, and other cheap copies of expensive things. A person might wear fake nails or fake eyelashes. An indoor sports stadium may use fake grass.
• Used in a sentence: I make fake swords to be used in movies. 

In this same sense, fake is used as a noun to mean a copy or fabrication.

• Used in a sentence: The car expert could easily tell if the sports car was a real Bugatti or a fake. 

Also in this sense, fake is used as a verb to mean to make something that isn’t real or is a copy.

• Used in a sentence: He faked hundreds of Roman coins before the authorities caught on to his scam.

As a verb, fake can also mean to pretend or to simulate something.

• Used in a sentence: I faked illness so I could stay home from school. 

Where does fake come from?

The first records of fake come from around 1805. It was originally a term from thieves’ slang meaning “to mug someone” or “to kill someone.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to fake?

• faker (noun)
• fakery (noun)

What are some synonyms for fake?

• false
• imitation
• counterfeit
• bogus
• impostor
• copy
• pretend
• fabricate

What are some words that share a root or word element with fake? 

• faker
• fakery
• fake news

What are some words that often get used in discussing fake?

• fraud
• deceit
• crime
• jewelry
• art
• money
• fur
• snow
• meat

How is fake used in real life?

Fake is a very common word that describes something as not being genuine.

Fake tan is all fun and games until it goes gross and you have to try and scrub it off🙃

— Emily Canham (@EmilyCanham) April 22, 2018

Paris police sources say the 2 Syrian passports found on the terrorists were fakes probably made in Turkey

— Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) November 15, 2015

Guys, I just found out a college student faked a sit down interview with me for a paper. I've never felt so proud.

— Tom Hart (@tom_hart) December 14, 2020

Try using fake!

Which of the following words is a synonym of fake?

A. real
B. genuine
C. imitation
D. legitimate