fake
fake — noun
1. an object that has been deliberately made to look like something valuable or gen
an object that has been deliberately made to look like something valuable or genuine, with the purpose of tricking people into thinking it is the real thing
The antique vase was a fake, painted to look like it was centuries old.
passive: turn out to be a fake
Customs officers seized a shipment of handbags that were all clever fakes.
collocation: clever fakes
Naoko bought a rare coin online, but it was a cheap fake worth almost nothing.
Experts examined the painting carefully and confirmed it was a fake from the 1990s.
passive: confirmed to be a fake
- clever fake
- cheap fake
- obvious fake
- perfect fake
- expose a fake
- spot a fake
- turn out to be a fake
- counterfeit
slightly more formal; often used for money, documents, or luxury goods
- forgery
specifically refers to a copied document, signature, or work of art
- imitation
can be neutral (an honest imitation) and does not always imply deception
- original
the first authentic version, not a copy
- genuine article
the real thing, not an imitation
Grammar Patterns
a fake
the fakes
Usage Note
Often used with verbs of discovery or verification such as 'turn out to be', 'expose', or 'detect'. The opposite is 'original' or 'the real thing'.
Common Mistakes
2. a person who pretends to have a different identity, job, or skill in order to ga
a person who pretends to have a different identity, job, or skill in order to gain trust, money, or access that they are not entitled to
The man at the conference was a total fake — he was never a real doctor.
subject complement: was a total fake
The guards knew the visitor was a fake when she failed questions about the bank.
Reporters discovered that the so-called expert was a complete fake with no real qualifications.
collocation: complete fake
Rania was exposed as a fake when she could not answer a single medical question.
collocation: exposed as a fake
- complete fake
- total fake
- absolute fake
- see through a fake
- expose a fake
- genuine person
someone who is exactly who they claim to be
Grammar Patterns
a fake
a complete fake
Usage Note
Unlike 'liar' (who tells untruths), a 'fake' is someone who falsely presents their entire identity or role. Common with 'complete', 'total', or 'absolute' as intensifiers.
3. a quick or pretended movement in a sport that is intended to trick an opponent i
a quick or pretended movement in a sport that is intended to trick an opponent into reacting in the wrong direction or at the wrong time
The striker made a clever fake to the left, making the goalkeeper dive wrong.
sports: clever fake to the left
The quarterback sold the fake perfectly, and the defence moved right while he ran left.
collocation: sell a fake
Iker threw a fake before passing the ball, making his teammate open for a shot.
Her fake was so convincing that the defender jumped too early and lost his balance.
- sell a fake
- throw a fake
- clever fake
- convincing fake
Grammar Patterns
a fake
sell a fake
throw a fake
Usage Note
Common in team sports such as football, basketball, and American football. 'Sell a fake' is a sports-specific collocation meaning to make the fake look realistic enough to deceive the opponent.
fake — adjective
1. produced so that people will take it to be the real thing or something valuable,
produced so that people will take it to be the real thing or something valuable, even though it is not the genuine article — for instance, fake fur that is meant to look like real animal fur, or a fake passport that is designed to pass as an official document
Lara wore a necklace made of fake pearls that still looked beautiful.
collocation: fake pearls
The street vendor was selling fake designer watches for only ten dollars.
Ziad bought a fake passport online to leave the country under a false name.
collocation: fake passport
The jacket was made of fake leather but felt soft and looked real.
- fake fur
- fake leather
- fake pearls
- fake money
- fake ID
- fake passport
- fake diamonds
- fake designer goods
- counterfeit
more formal and narrower; almost always implies illegal copying of money or branded goods
- imitation
can be neutral; 'imitation leather' is an honest label, while 'fake leather' sounds negative
- artificial
broader; can be positive or neutral (artificial sweetener, artificial intelligence)
Grammar Patterns
fake + noun
be/look/seem fake
Usage Note
Can be used both before a noun ('a fake watch') and after linking verbs like 'be', 'look', or 'seem' ('the watch looks fake'). The opposite is 'real' or 'genuine'. For feelings and emotions, see sense 2 below.
Common Mistakes
2. showing or expressing a feeling that is not genuinely experienced, usually for s
showing or expressing a feeling that is not genuinely experienced, usually for social convenience or personal advantage — for example, a fake smile that hides disappointment, or fake sympathy offered out of politeness
Megan wore a fake smile when her rival won, though all saw she was upset.
collocation: fake smile
His apology sounded fake and rehearsed, as if someone had told him to say it.
Élise finds it hard to trust people who give fake compliments just to be liked.
collocation: fake compliments
The politician's fake concern for the poor fooled nobody in the room.
collocation: fake concern
- fake smile
- fake tears
- fake sympathy
- fake concern
- fake interest
- fake apology
- fake laughter
- fake compliment
Grammar Patterns
fake + emotion noun
sound/look fake
Usage Note
Only used for emotions, expressions, and reactions — never for physical objects (use sense 1 for those). Common nouns that follow this sense: smile, tears, sympathy, concern, interest, apology, laughter.
Common Mistakes
fake — verb
1. to pretend to have a particular feeling, emotion, or physical condition, usually
to pretend to have a particular feeling, emotion, or physical condition, usually in order to avoid a situation, gain sympathy, or achieve a personal goal
Yael faked a stomach ache so she could leave the boring dinner party early.
fake + illness noun
The actor faked surprise when his friends walked into the room for his party.
fake + emotion noun
Imran faked interest in the lecture while secretly checking his phone under the desk.
Élise was not really hurt — she was just faking to get attention from her teammates.
faking + to-infinitive
- fake a headache
- fake surprise
- fake interest
- fake enthusiasm
- fake being ill
- fake it
Grammar Patterns
fake + noun phrase (feeling/illness)
fake + gerund
Usage Note
The direct object is typically an emotion (surprise, interest) or a medical condition (headache, illness). In informal English, 'fake it' can mean to act confidently when you feel unsure: 'I had no idea what to say, so I just faked it.'
Common Mistakes
2. to produce an imitation of a document, object, or work of art, intending to tric
to produce an imitation of a document, object, or work of art, intending to trick people into believing it is the original
The art dealer was arrested for faking paintings by famous artists and selling them online.
faking + artwork
Someone had faked his signature on the contract, so the agreement was not legal.
faking + signature / document
The seller faked the antique by adding chemicals to make the wood look much older.
Abigail was caught trying to fake a university degree to land a job.
- fake a painting
- fake a signature
- fake a document
- fake an antique
- fake money
- fake a degree
- forge
more specific; almost always used for signatures, documents, or banknotes
- counterfeit
formal; strongly associated with illegal copying of money or luxury goods
Grammar Patterns
fake + noun phrase (document/object/artwork)
Usage Note
Commonly used in the passive voice in news reporting ('the document was faked'). The object is typically a valuable item, official document, or piece of art that can be sold or used for fraudulent purposes.
Common Mistakes
3. to make a pretended movement in a sport in order to trick an opponent into react
to make a pretended movement in a sport in order to trick an opponent into reacting in the wrong way, giving yourself a better position or opportunity
Femi faked a pass to the right and threw the ball down the left wing.
fake + noun phrase (directional)
The tennis player faked a drop shot but hit the ball deep into the court.
The forward faked going left and the defender fell for it, leaving a clear path.
fake + gerund (direction)
In basketball, players often fake a shot to make the defender jump and drive past.
- fake a shot
- fake a pass
- fake left/right
- fake out
- fake going one way
Grammar Patterns
fake + direction noun phrase
fake + to-infinitive
fake (no object)
Usage Note
The phrasal verb 'fake out' is an informal alternative: 'The striker faked out the defender and scored.' Can be used transitively ('fake a shot') or intransitively ('He faked and then passed').
Common Mistakes
fake out
phrasal verbto deceive an opponent in a sport by making a pretended movement, causing them to react in the wrong direction
The point guard faked out two defenders before passing the ball to an open teammate.
to continue acting as if you are confident, skilled, or happy, even when you are not, in the belief that this behaviour will eventually become real
On her first day as a manager, Naoko felt nervous but decided to fake it till she made it.
Word family
- fakernounB2
- fakerynounC1
- fakedadjectiveB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
These five words all describe things that are not the real or natural version, but they differ in intent and connotation. 'Fake' is the broadest and most direct — it suggests something was made to deceive, though it can also be used playfully ('fake flowers'). 'Counterfeit' is narrower and strongly implies illegal fraud, especially with money, documents, or branded goods. 'Imitation' can be neutral or even positive: 'imitation leather' is sold honestly as a cheaper alternative, whereas 'fake leather' suggests the seller is hiding what it is. 'Artificial' covers a wide range from neutral (artificial sweetener) to positive (artificial intelligence), with no deception implied. 'Synthetic' is a technical term for chemically produced materials and carries no moral judgment. 'False' is the most general and can mean either 'incorrect' (false information) or 'dishonest' (false promise). For everyday use, 'fake' is the safest choice; for formal writing about fraud, use 'counterfeit'; for honest substitutes, use 'artificial' or 'imitation'.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'fake' first appeared in 18th-century British criminal slang, probably derived from an older cant (secret language of thieves and beggars) word 'feak' or 'feague', meaning to make something look better or more valuable than it really is — for example, by polishing a cheap item to pass it off as quality goods. Some scholars connect it to the German verb 'fegen' (to sweep, to polish). Originally used by pickpockets and con artists in London, 'fake' entered general English in the 1800s and is now one of the most common words for anything that is not what it claims to be.