fake

¹ American  

[feyk] / feɪk /

verb (used with object)

faked, faking

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 byout ).

   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.

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verb (used without object)

faked, faking

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. fake out

   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 American  

[feyk] / feɪk /

verb (used with object)

faked, faking

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 bydown ).

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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 British  

/ 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)

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noun

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

adjective

1. not genuine; spurious

fake ² British  

/ feɪk /

verb

1. to coil (a rope) on deck

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noun

1. one round of a coil of rope

Usage

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. 

Other Word Forms

• faker
  noun
• fakery
  noun

Etymology

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fake faked faking

It’s also incredibly difficult to fake another city for Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

He said it was there that deputies noticed the man’s SUV was in disarray and displayed a fake license plate, prompting deputies to investigate further.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

In a letter addressed to Polymarket founder and Chief Executive Shayne Coplan, Menin asked for details about Polymarket promotional videos that appeared to depict fake trades and promoted insider trading on social media.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

A mum says she feels "guilty" for buying a fake squishy toy that exploded in her son's face, resulting in him needing hospital treatment.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Sal’s holding on to her stomach, fake laughing as she examines my bag.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

On May 12, video blogger Geng Hongwei alleged that Shanghai University scientists faked data in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

South Korean police are seeking an arrest warrant for a YouTuber who allegedly faked evidence that defamed actor Kim Soo-hyun and fuelled a scandal which ended his career.

From BBC ● May 22, 2026

Job seekers also deal with the shame of being faked out, especially if they turned over money.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

A California custody lawsuit over an aging Labrador ended with both sides being punished for citing precedents faked by AI.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2026

“Um, somewhere,” I said, but he lost interest as I faked through my handbag.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

We’re in a country that really puts a premium on swagger, on faking it till you make it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

Haynes took the shotgun snap at the 10 and dropped back to the 14 before shooting up the middle, pump faking around the seven and diving into the end zone for the game-winning score.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

How-to guides were discovered on the ships detailing additional methods for faking GPS information, the report said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

But the reporter would also need to create evidence in order to convince the Home Office that he was not faking his claim.

From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2026

So cool and crisp, such authority—suddenly she really was a radio operator, a German radio operator, she was so good at faking it.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• bogus
• counterfeit
• fabricated
• fictitious
• forged
• fraudulent
• mock
• phony
• spurious