fabricate

verb

fab·​ri·​cate ˈfa-bri-ˌkāt 

fabricated; fabricating

transitive verb

1

a

: invent, create

b

: to make up for the purpose of deception

accused of fabricating evidence

2

: construct, manufacture

specifically : to construct from diverse and usually standardized parts

Their plan is to fabricate the house out of synthetic parts.

fabricator

ˈfa-bri-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• fashion
• form
• frame
• make
• manufacture
• produce

Examples of fabricate in a Sentence

Only the largest parts were fabricated at the factory.

Their plan is to fabricate the house out of synthetic materials.

a story fabricated to sell magazines

She was accused of fabricating data.

Recent Examples on the Web

David Mauricio Dominguez, 19, is charged with assault causing bodily injury, official oppression and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, according to a news release from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. —Jennifer Rodriguez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Feb. 2025

The conversation surrounding her heritage first arose in December 2020 when social media users alleged that Hilaria was fabricating her Spanish roots when she was actually born in Boston, Massachusetts and her birth name is Hilary. —Liza Esquibias, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025

Topological superconductors, which Microsoft doesn’t believe occur naturally in the universe, are composed of a materials stack including indium arsenide, aluminum, and other materials, most of which Microsoft fabricated atom by atom. —John Koetsier, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025

Defense attorney Joe Tacopina alleged that Ephron fabricated his account of the incident. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fabricaten, borrowed from Latin fabricātus, past participle of fabricāre, fabricārī "to fashion, shape, construct," derivative of fabrica "process of making something, craft, art" — more at fabric

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for fabricate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

fabricate

verb

fab·​ri·​cate ˈfab-ri-ˌkāt 

fabricated; fabricating

1

: invent sense 2, create

2

: to make up in order to deceive

fabricated evidence to support her claim

3

: construct sense 1, manufacture

fabrication

ˌfab-ri-ˈkā-shən

noun

fabricator

ˈfab-ri-ˌkāt-ər 

noun

Legal Definition

fabricate

verb

fab·​ri·​cate ˈfa-brə-ˌkāt 

fabricated; fabricating

transitive verb

: to make up (as testimony) with an intent to deceive

intransitive verb

: to make something up with an intent to deceive

there was a motive to fabricate

—Gary Taylor