inauthentic

American  

[in-aw-then-tik] / ˌɪn ɔˈθɛn tɪk /

adjective

1. not authentic.

   inauthentic Indian jewelry mass-produced in a factory.

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inauthentic British  

/ ˌɪnɔːˈθɛntɪk /

adjective

1. not authentic; false

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• inauthentically
  adverb
• inauthenticity
  noun

Etymology

Origin of inauthentic

First recorded in 1855–60; in- ³ + authentic

Explanation

An inauthentic person is fake or insincere, and an inauthentic thing isn't what it's said to be. That gold Rolex watch you bought for five dollars? It's probably inauthentic. Anything that pretends to be something it's not is inauthentic, whether it's a "designer" handbag or a person who's assuming a false identity. The adjective inauthentic is made up of the prefix in-, "not" or "opposite of," and authentic, "genuine" or "accurate." The Greek root is authentikos, "original, genuine, or principal."

Example Sentences

The toxic content, AI-generated rumor cycles and coordinated inauthentic activity that already saturate the information environment are now sufficient, on their own, to move prediction-market prices in profitable directions.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

“I put it out for all the wrong reasons. It was a mistake — an inauthentic move that I regret making.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

In a study my colleagues and I conducted last year, we used a social media model to simulate swarms of inauthentic social media accounts using different tactics to influence a target online community.

From Salon • Feb. 15, 2026

Fans immediately pounced on the styling and Bessette’s wig, calling it cheap and inauthentic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

They made notations in their family Bible, indicating places where biblical scholars deemed passages inauthentic, added later by unknown authors.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman