fake
gb/fˈeɪk/ us/fˈeɪk/
B1
English
~ 6200
hamis, nem őszinte, képmutató, mű, hamisítvány, imposztor, csaló, színlel, megjátszik, cselez
B1
1
hamis
B1
Usage pattern:
[fake] [object]
He was arrested at the airport for using a fake passport.
A repülőtéren letartóztatták, mert hamis útlevelet használt.
The website was full of fake reviews written by bots.
A weboldal tele volt botok által írt hamis értékelésekkel.
She bought a fake designer bag on holiday.
The police warned people about fake charity collectors in the area.
The company was fined for selling vitamins in fake packaging.
Learner examples
This watch is fake. It is not from that brand.
Ez az óra hamis. Nem attól a márkától való.
He showed the guard a fake ID.
Hamis igazolványt mutatott az őrnek.
Many people shared the fake news online.
She wears a coat with fake fur.
I deleted the fake account that used my photo.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "false" instead of "fake" for physical things (e.g. they say *a false passport*). In everyday English, people normally say "a fake passport" or "a fake ID"; "false" is more common with abstract things like "false belief" or "false information".
Meaning
not real, made to look real
Collocations
fake ID
|fake passport
|fake news
|fake account
|fake leather
|fake fur
Synonyms
counterfeit (More formal and often used for money, documents, and branded goods, especially in legal or official contexts.)
|
bogus (Informal; suggests something is false and also ridiculous or obviously not genuine.)
Antonyms
genuine (Stresses that something is truly what it appears to be, the real thing.)
Themes
crime
|consumer
|media
|daily_life
|business
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not real, but made to look real, like a copy of something.
Not genuine, but made to look like a real thing, document, material, or product.
B2
INFORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is fake
Her smile looked completely fake when she congratulated him.
Teljesen műnek tűnt a mosolya, amikor gratulált neki.
Everyone in the office knows how fake he is around the boss.
Az irodában mindenki tudja, mennyire megjátssza magát a főnök előtt.
The influencer's videos feel so fake and staged.
He gave a fake laugh and changed the subject.
She sounded fake when she said she was happy for me.
Learner examples
Her smile is fake. She is not really happy.
A mosolya nem őszinte. Valójában nem boldog.
He is nice to you, but it feels fake.
Kedves veled, de nem tűnik őszintének.
The apology sounded fake to me.
I do not like fake people.
His laugh was fake and a little strange.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "fake" and "false" here. For people and emotions, English speakers usually say "fake smile", "fake laugh", or "fake friend" rather than *false smile* or *false friend* (except in some special terms like "false friend" in language study).
Meaning
insincere, not showing true feelings
Collocations
fake smile
|fake laugh
|fake friend
|fake apology
|sound fake
|seem fake
Synonyms
insincere (More formal; focuses on not really meaning what you say.)
|
phony (Informal; similar meaning, often a bit stronger and more negative.)
Antonyms
genuine (Emphasizes that feelings or behavior are real and honest.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|personality
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not real or honest in what a person feels or shows; pretending to be nice or different from what they really are.
Describing a person or their behavior as not sincere or not showing their true feelings or character.
NOUN
B1
3
hamisítvány
B2
Usage pattern:
a fake of [something]
Experts later confirmed that the painting was a fake.
A szakértők később megerősítették, hogy a festmény hamisítvány.
The notes looked real, but the cashier quickly spotted the fake.
A bankjegyek valódinak tűntek, de a pénztáros hamar kiszúrta köztük a hamisítványt.
Some tourists knowingly buy fakes because they are cheaper.
The museum had unknowingly displayed a fake for years.
He tried to sell a fake as a rare antique.
Learner examples
The ring was not gold. It was a fake.
A gyűrű nem aranyból volt. Hamisítvány volt.
They found out the painting was a fake.
Kiderítették, hogy a festmény hamisítvány.
Can you tell the real bag from the fake?
The police took the fake and kept it as evidence.
She knew the shoes were fakes, but they were cheap.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"a fake thing"* when a simple noun is better, e.g. "This watch is a fake" instead of *"This is a fake watch thing"*. Also, avoid using "fake" alone for people in this sense; for people, use the separate sense "a fake" meaning an insincere person.
Meaning
an object that is not genuine
Collocations
a complete fake
|an obvious fake
|spot a fake
|detect a fake
|art fake
|cheap fake
Synonyms
imitation (Can be neutral or positive, especially for cheaper copies; does not always suggest cheating.)
|
forgery (More formal and legal; usually for documents, signatures, or artworks made to deceive.)
Antonyms
original (Stresses that something is the first or real version, not a copy.)
Themes
crime
|art
|consumer
|business
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A thing that is not real, but is made to look like the real thing.
An object, document, work of art, or similar item that is not genuine but made to look like a real or original one.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a fake
When the truth came out, everyone realized he was a fake.
Amikor kiderült az igazság, mindenki rájött, hogy csaló.
She felt like a fake standing on stage, even though she was well prepared.
Imposztornak érezte magát a színpadon állva, pedig jól felkészült.
The so‑called expert turned out to be a complete fake.
They exposed the influencer as a fake who bought all her followers.
I stopped hanging out with him because he seemed like such a fake.
Learner examples
He is a fake. I do not trust him.
Ő egy csaló. Nem bízom benne.
People thought she was rich, but she was a fake.
Az emberek azt hitték, hogy gazdag, de kiderült, hogy csaló.
The teacher was not a real doctor. He was a fake.
After the story, they knew he was a fake.
I do not want to be a fake. I want to be myself.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"he is fake"* when they mean *"he is a fake"*. Both can be used in informal speech, but "a fake" clearly means a person who is pretending or not genuine as a person, not just their actions.
Meaning
a person who is not genuine
Collocations
such a fake
|a complete fake
|a total fake
|exposed as a fake
|feel like a fake
|act like a fake
Synonyms
fraud (Stronger and more formal; often suggests serious dishonesty, especially for money or status.)
|
poser (Informal; someone who pretends to be part of a group or style to look cool.)
Antonyms
authentic person (Describes someone who is honest and true to themselves.)
Themes
relationships
|character
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who pretends and is not real or honest about who they are.
A person who is not what they seem to be, especially someone who pretends to have certain feelings, qualities, or status that they do not really have.
VERB
B2
5
színlel
B2
megjátszik
B2
Usage pattern:
to fake [a feeling/action/condition]
He faked a cough to leave the meeting early.
Köhögést színlelt, hogy korábban elmehessen a megbeszélésről.
She tried to fake a smile, but her eyes looked sad.
Megpróbált mosolyt erőltetni magára, de a szeme szomorúnak tűnt.
The athlete was accused of faking an injury to avoid the match.
They faked the test results to make the product look safer.
He admitted that he had faked his signature on the contract.
Learner examples
He faked an illness to stay at home.
Betegséget színlelt, hogy otthon maradhasson.
She faked a smile so her children would not worry.
Mosolyt erőltetett magára, hogy a gyerekei ne aggódjanak.
The boy faked a headache to miss the exam.
Do not fake interest. Just be honest.
The company faked the numbers in the report.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse "fake" and "pretend". "Pretend" is more common with children and imagination ("pretend to be a superhero"), while "fake" often suggests cheating or lying ("fake an illness", "fake a signature"). Also, "fake" usually takes a direct object ("fake an illness"), not an infinitive (*"fake to be ill" is not natural).
Meaning
to pretend or simulate something
Collocations
fake an illness
|fake a smile
|fake interest
|fake an injury
|fake a signature
|fake results
Synonyms
pretend (More general and common; does not always include the idea of cheating.)
|
fabricate (More formal; often used for inventing lies, stories, or data.)
Antonyms
be genuine (Stresses acting or feeling in a real and honest way instead of pretending.)
Themes
emotions
|health
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To act like something is real when it is not, for example by acting or making a copy.
To pretend that something is true, to simulate a feeling, action, or situation, or to create something that only looks real.
VERB
C1
6
cselez
B1
Usage pattern:
to fake [direction/move]
The striker faked left, then ran right and scored.
A csatár balra cselezett, aztán jobbra futott, és gólt lőtt.
She faked a shot to the basket and passed to her teammate.
Dobócselt csinált, majd a csapattársának passzolt.
He managed to fake the defender and create space for a goal.
The player faked a move to the inside and then cut to the outside.
He tried to fake right, but the defender did not fall for it.
Learner examples
The player faked left and then ran right.
A játékos balra cselezett, aztán jobbra futott.
She faked a shot and then passed the ball.
Dobócselt csinált, aztán továbbpasszolta a labdát.
He faked the defender and scored a goal.
The runner faked a move, but the other player stayed close.
In basketball, you can fake a pass to trick the other team.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this is a special sports meaning. Outside of sports, "fake left" or "fake right" can sound strange. In many sports contexts, the noun or verb "feint" is also used, but it is more technical.
Meaning
to deceive an opponent with a move
Collocations
fake left
|fake right
|fake a shot
|fake a pass
|fake out the defender
|fake a move
Synonyms
feint (More technical sports term; less common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
move directly (Describes acting without trying to trick the opponent.)
Themes
sports
|games
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In a game or sport, to move your body in a way that makes the other player think you will go one way, but then you go another way.
In sports, to make a deceptive movement to trick an opponent about your next move.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fake
IPA
GB/fˈeɪk/
US/fˈeɪk/
Syllables & stress
fake (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (fake)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: fake
Noun
- Base: fake
- Plural: fakes
Verb
- Base: fake
- 3rd Person Singular: fakes
- Present Participle: faking
- Past: faked
Word family
Expressions
fake account
1/fˈeɪk əkˈaʊnt/
fixed phrase
online account with false identity
A social media or online account that does not show the real person, name, or information.
Examples
- The influencer reported several fake accounts pretending to be her.
- The platform removed thousands of fake accounts this week.
- Be careful; that message might be from a fake account.
fake ID
1/fˈeɪk ˈaɪ dˈi/
fixed phrase
counterfeit identification document
An identity card or document that is not real and is used for illegal or dishonest reasons.
Examples
- He was caught trying to get into the club with a fake ID.
- Many websites show teenagers how to spot a fake ID.
- Using a fake ID can lead to serious legal problems.
fake it
1/fˈeɪk ˈɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
pretend to have something you lack
To act as if you have a feeling, skill, or confidence, even when you do not really have it.
Examples
- I was nervous during the interview, but I just tried to fake it.
- Sometimes you have to fake it until you feel more confident.
- He doesn't really know what he's doing; he's just faking it.
fake it till you make it
1/fˈeɪk ˈɪt tˈɪl jˈu mˈeɪk ˈɪt/
idiom
informal
pretend until it becomes real
To pretend you are confident, skilled, or successful until, with time and practice, you really become that way.
Examples
- When starting a new job, many people believe in the idea of "fake it till you make it."
- She didn't feel like a leader yet, but she decided to fake it till she made it.
- He used the "fake it till you make it" approach to overcome his fear of public speaking.
fake name
1/fˈeɪk nˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
a name that is not real
A name that is not your true name, which you use so people do not know who you really are.
Examples
- He checked into the hotel under a fake name.
- Scammers often use fake names in emails.
- She gave the reporter a fake name to protect her privacy.
fake news
1/fˈeɪk njˈuz/
fixed phrase
intentionally false news or reports
News or information that is not true and is made to trick or control people.
Examples
- The article was shared millions of times, even though it was fake news.
- Governments are trying to fight fake news on social media.
- Always check the source so you do not spread fake news.
fake out
1/fˈeɪk ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
trick someone with a deceptive move
To trick someone by making them think you will do one thing, and then doing something different.
Examples
- The player faked out the defender and scored.
- She tried to fake me out by pretending to leave early.
- The magician completely faked out the audience with that trick.
fake profile
1/fˈeɪk pɹˈoʊfˌaɪl/
fixed phrase
online profile with false details
A page about a person on a website or app that uses false photos or information and is not honest.
Examples
- She discovered that someone had made a fake profile using her photos.
- Dating apps often warn users about fake profiles.
- He talked to someone online for months before realizing it was a fake profile.
fake smile
1/fˈeɪk smˈaɪl/
fixed phrase
a smile that is not sincere
A smile that you make on your face even though you do not really feel happy.
Examples
- She put on a fake smile for the camera.
- You could tell it was a fake smile from his eyes.
- He greeted them with a fake smile and a quick hello.
fake tan
1/fˈeɪk tˈæn/
fixed phrase
artificially created tan
Brown skin color that comes from a cream, spray, or other product, not from the sun.
Examples
- She got a fake tan before her holiday photoshoot.
- The fake tan left orange marks on his shirt.
- Many people prefer a fake tan to lying in the sun.