faux

adjective

ˈfō 

: not real or genuine: such as

a

: made to look like something else that is usually more valuable : imitation, fake

faux leather/fur

a string of faux pearls

… faux is the French word for fake, but it's a very chic fake. Faux marble, for example, is found in the best of homes.

—Sylvia Sachs

b

: not sincere

a show of faux [=feigned] concern

On Monday the CEO dusted off a version of the "I'm sorry if I offended you" faux apology used when people really mean, "I'm sorry I got caught."

—The East Bay (California) Times

Synonyms of faux

• synthetic
• fake
• simulated
• artificial
• imitation
• dummy
• false
• mock

Examples of faux in a Sentence

even the celebrity interior designer was fooled by the faux marble

Recent Examples on the Web

Mabel, in faux-beaver form, rallies the wildlife to fight Mayor Jerry but sows anarchy in doing so. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026

Whatever your opinion, Theroux has an impressive back catalogue of documentaries worth watching, each one tackling a thorny topic with his signature faux naivety and awkward charm. —Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 25 Mar. 2026

Just like the old days, the (faux films) in Retro Rewind roll out weekly. —Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 19 Mar. 2026

The album cover presents Firesign as a sort of Dada resistance force; the words ALL HAIL MARX LENNON, in faux-Cyrillic letters, appear around photos of Groucho and John. —Andrew Katzenstein, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, false

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing faux

• faux-hawk
• faux-naïf
• faux-naif
• faux pas

Rhymes for faux

• beau
• beaux
• blow
• boe
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

faux

adjective

ˈfō 

: imitation entry 2

faux marble

Etymology

from French, "false," from Latin falsus