impostor
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of impostor
1580–90; < Late Latin, equivalent to Latin impos ( i )-, variant stem of impōnere to deceive, place on ( see impone) + -tor -tor
Vocabulary lists containing impostor
"The Tragedy of Macbeth," Vocabulary from Act 3
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"The Millionaire Miser"
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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.
Thick skin is overrated, and impostor syndrome isn’t always a bad thing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026
I stayed silent in that group for days, convinced someone would realize I was an impostor.
From Slate • Apr. 12, 2026
“I was feeling such impostor syndrome,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026
Then he secretly purchases a passel of tortoises; constructs a long-handled grabber; leans down from his balcony; extracts Alfie; and, each week, substitutes a slightly heavier impostor.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
The impostor Leanna North rose higher into the air.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
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.
