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

• 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

Meta - which owns Facebook and Instagram - said it takes "co-ordinated inauthentic behaviour seriously" and has "specialised global teams constantly working to identify and disrupt this type of activity".

From BBC • May 15, 2026

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

TikTok and Meta said they remove coordinated inauthentic behaviour, while Telegram said it removes calls to violence when identified.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 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

For one full week, Mr. Loring played rock and roll beginning with Bill Haley and continuing in a kind of inauthentic historical overview through Buddy Holly until it stopped abruptly with Roy Orbison.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy