impostor

Or im·post·er

[im-pos-ter]

noun

1. a person who practices deception under an assumed character, identity, or name.

impostor

/ ɪmˈpɒstə /

noun

1. a person who deceives others, esp by assuming a false identity; charlatan

Word History and Origins

Origin of impostor¹

1580–90; < Late Latin, equivalent to Latin impos ( i )-, variant stem of impōnere to deceive, place on ( impone ) + -tor -tor

Word History and Origins

Origin of impostor¹

C16: from Late Latin: deceiver; see _impose

Example Sentences

It was an impostor, like Quinzy; a labyrinth where a bloodthirsty minotaur might leap out from every shadow.

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The arbitrary nature of this career, how the impostor syndrome was enormous in him.

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Because the panic, the self-doubt, the impostor syndrome, all those things we don’t talk about — it happens on every movie.

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Median losses per person are around $2,000 — the highest amount reported for any type of impostor scam, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

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“It’s both impostor and mocking at the same time,” Donovan said.

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Related Words

• con artist 
• hypocrite