Fake
/feɪk/
Definitions
3 meaningsTo create something false or counterfeit, to pretend.
/feɪk/
To create something that is not genuine or real.
She faked a smile to hide her disappointment.
💡 Simply: Imagine you drew a picture, but it's really a copy of someone else's art. That's kind of like faking something! You’re making it look real, but it's not yours.
👶 For kids: To pretend something is real when it's not.
More Examples
The student faked an illness to avoid the test.
The artist was accused of faking a famous painting.
How It's Used
"He faked his own death to escape his creditors."
"The museum discovered that several paintings were faked."
Not real; made to look genuine in order to deceive.
/feɪk/
Not genuine; artificial; counterfeit.
The police confiscated the fake money.
💡 Simply: Think of a toy that looks exactly like a real car, but it doesn't run. That toy is 'fake' because it only looks like the real thing, but isn't.
👶 For kids: Not real; like a toy that looks like something real.
More Examples
She wore a fake fur coat.
He was exposed for using a fake identity.
How It's Used
"The company was selling fake designer handbags."
"She had a fake profile to spy on her ex."
A fraudulent or deceptive item or person.
/feɪk/
Something that is not genuine.
The detective easily identified the fakes from the originals.
💡 Simply: Imagine you see a painting that looks amazing but is a copy of a real masterpiece. That copy is a 'fake'.
👶 For kids: Something that is not real; it's a copy or trick.
More Examples
The art world is plagued by fakes.
The judge dismissed the evidence as a fake.
How It's Used
"The museum was full of fakes, not real masterpieces."
"Don't believe her, that's just a fake."
Idioms & expressions
fake it till you make it
To behave as if you have certain qualities or skills, even if you don't, in the hope that you will eventually develop them.
"I had no experience, but I faked it till I made it and got the job."
From Middle English *fake*, a word of uncertain origin, possibly related to Old English *fāc* (deceit, fraud).
The term 'fake' began to see significant usage in the 19th century to describe counterfeit goods and deceptive practices, building upon earlier uses of the word to describe deceit.