What does fake mean?
Fake describes anything that is not what it claims or appears to be — an imitation, counterfeit, or sham. It functions flexibly across parts of speech: as an adjective (a fake passport), a noun (experts exposed the painting as a fake), and a verb (she faked a smile). Its connotations range from playful to damning: fake fur or fake tan are neutral descriptions of artificial substitutes, while fake money or a fake doctor imply deliberate deception, and calling a person a fake accuses them of insincerity or imposture. In modern discourse, the phrase 'fake news' has made the word central to debates about misinformation. The word emerged from British criminal cant in the eighteenth century, originally referring to stolen goods or the act of theft, before broadening into mainstream use. Its brevity and punchiness have made it one of the most productive words in contemporary English for questioning authenticity.
Not genuine; made or altered to imitate something real, often with intent to deceive.
"Customs officers seized a shipment of fake watches at the airport."
Neutral when describing harmless substitutes (fake plants); pejorative when deception is implied.
An object, work of art, or person that is not what it is claimed to be; a counterfeit or impostor.
"The expert immediately recognized the manuscript as a fake."
To make a false copy or pretense of something; to feign.
"He faked a phone call to avoid the awkward conversation."
Standard plural for the noun sense referring to counterfeit objects or people.
"The museum removed several fakes from its collection after reauthentication."
The word 'fake' began as underworld slang before conning its way into everyday English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of fake
Fake first appears in English in the late eighteenth century as thieves' cant, where it meant to do, steal, or manipulate something. Its further origin is uncertain; lexicographers have proposed links to various sources, but none has been established with confidence. Over the nineteenth century it shifted toward the senses of counterfeiting and pretending, and by the twentieth century it was fully standard English in all its modern uses.
Related word forms
How fake is actually used
Widely informal-to-neutral in register; common in both everyday speech and journalism. As a verb it takes no preposition (fake an injury), and the idiom 'fake it till you make it' is firmly established in American and British usage.
Easily confused with fake
"Faux" is a French-derived adjective meaning artificial or imitation (as in faux leather), used neutrally in design contexts, while "fake" more strongly implies intent to deceive.