deepfake
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of deepfake
First recorded in 2015–20; deep (learning) ( def. ) + fake 1 ( def. )
Explanation
A deepfake is an altered photo or video that's completely different from the original but still looks totally realistic. A film that appears to show your school principal winning the U.S. Open — it's probably a deepfake. Deepfakes are manipulated recordings that are made using artificial intelligence. Unlike older techniques for creating false images, deepfakes seem so authentic that you're not sure what's true and what isn't. They can be used for entertainment, to bring back long-dead Hollywood stars or swap characters from different movies. But deepfakes are often intended to deliberately mislead people by spreading fake (but real-looking) information. Deepfake was coined in 2017.
Vocabulary lists containing deepfake
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
However, as Flavio Bolsonaro officially launched his candidacy on Saturday, a deepfake video of his father was screened at the Liberal Party convention.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Very large noses or protruding ears are not typical of deepfake images.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
But the suitor was an AI deepfake, making her yet another victim of an online romance scam.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Their deepfake images of those classmates then got passed around.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
"Whether an intimate image is a manipulated deepfake or a real photograph shared without consent, the real-world harm is identical," she said.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
