imposture

Synonym Chooser

How is the word imposture different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of imposture are counterfeit, fake, fraud, humbug, and sham. While all these words mean "a thing made to seem other than it is," imposture applies to any situation in which a spurious object or performance is passed off as genuine.

their claim of environmental concern is an imposture

When is counterfeit a more appropriate choice than imposture?

While in some cases nearly identical to imposture, counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable.

20-dollar bills that were counterfeits

When would fake be a good substitute for imposture?

The meanings of fake and imposture largely overlap; however, fake implies an imitation of or substitution for the genuine but does not necessarily imply dishonesty.

these jewels are fakes; the real ones are in the vault

Where would fraud be a reasonable alternative to imposture?

While the synonyms fraud and imposture are close in meaning, fraud usually implies a deliberate perversion of the truth.

the diary was exposed as a fraud

When is it sensible to use humbug instead of imposture?

In some situations, the words humbug and imposture are roughly equivalent. However, humbug suggests elaborate pretense usually so flagrant as to be transparent.

creating publicity by foisting humbugs on a gullible public

When can sham be used instead of imposture?

The synonyms sham and imposture are sometimes interchangeable, but sham applies to fraudulent imitation of a real thing or action.

condemned the election as a sham

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of imposture The widened circle of winking insiders was no longer so exotic and alluring, the imposture of Bourbaki’s mathematics no longer so exciting. Michael Barany, JSTOR Daily, 24 Mar. 2021 Body Double Long before the imposture of Anna Delvey, the Tichborne Claimaint swept a nation’s imagination. JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024 Because such people are both brand-conscious and unable to detect the real thing, Miss Manners would be inclined to let the imposture pass. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023 This imposture cows the enemy, but Hector slays Patroclus anyway, sealing everyone’s fate. Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023 The print revolution’s past and future, valuing an empire’s impact, a saga of inheritance and imposture from Zadie Smith, and more. Wsj Books Staff, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2023 Buy Now: Desertion on Bookshop | Amazon The Fraud, Zadie Smith (Sept. 5) Zadie Smith’s sixth novel—and first historical one—is inspired by the Tichborne Trial, a controversial case of imposture that divided Victorian England. Shannon Carlin, Time, 23 Aug. 2023 The narrator is an antihero with a genius for imposture. Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 20 June 2022 By the end, this newly bold Portia, empowered by imposture, is more singer than speaker. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imposture
Noun
  • Langenberg’s sharp slider and 92-94 mph fastball lead a five-pitch mix, and his low arm slot adds some deception.
    Aaron Gleeman, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
  • This democratization of deception tools means threats can come from anywhere—disgruntled employees, competitors or opportunistic individuals—not just sophisticated state actors or cybercrime rings.
    Joseph Ours, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • She’s doe-eyed and eager and preening with Grande adopting a mid-century affectation, à la Gloria Grahame in Oklahoma!
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2024
  • Some have weird affectations that appear to have no actual purpose, some have extraordinary techniques few others can match.
    Nick Miller, The Athletic, 9 July 2024
Noun
  • Since sharing the video in July, the clip has received more than 350,000 views and spawned numerous imitations.
    The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025
  • They’re played by Monica Barbaro (now a SAG nominee for her performance) and Boyd Holbrook with a loose reverence for the actual people, with performances that, instead of imitation, take cues from the music itself.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • He was born rich, got richer, and then went bust, ending his business career in stock fraud and medical quackery.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 Nov. 2024
  • Yet medical quackery continues to exist in various forms, and the spread of misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic is among the most timely and notable examples.
    Jordan Friedman, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • The film, which stars Dern, Justin Theroux, and Jeremy Irons, is another meditation on Hollywood, blurring the lines between layers of fiction and dizzyingly captured with a digital camcorder.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 Jan. 2025
  • This read will especially appeal to those who have an affinity for historical fiction authors like Vanessa Riley (Island Queen, Queen of Exiles), Piper Hughley (By Her Own Design, American Daughters), and Victoria Christopher Murray (The First Ladies, The Personal Librarian).
    Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The Cold War nurtured a culture of secrets and lies that the population came to tolerate as a strategic necessity; at the turn of the millennium, the war on terror took that duplicity to new levels of sophistication.
    Karen Parker Lears, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
  • Cooper lives for this duplicity, and that smirk is his truest declaration.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2024
Noun
  • In the most recent suit, filed Dec. 27 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, former patients accuse Brock of groping their breasts and genitals unnecessarily under the pretense of legitimate medical examinations.
    Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Both Loughlin and Giannulli, 57, pleaded guilty last May to paying $500,000 in bribes to get Olivia Jade and Isabella fraudulently admitted to the University of Southern California on the pretense of being recruits for the school’s rowing team.
    Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • These investments serve as tangible representations of values and as enduring elements of one’s legacy.
    Anushree Jain, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
  • This includes endorsing drivers like Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, whose vehicles wore the McDonald's logo during the 2024 NASCAR season, with plans for continued representation in 2025.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near imposture

Cite this Entry

“Imposture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imposture. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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