Real vs Fake: Difference and Comparison

What are real and fake and what do these terms mean?

These two terms, real and fake are commonly used in our everyday life to describe what is authentic or not. Real is the opposite of fake and vice versa.

The term “real” is a noun that can be characterized as a confirmation of truth. It describes something that has physical existence, while fake describes something that is not genuine or is presented fraudulently.

Fake describes something that has been forged to replicate the original thing. It’s the opposite of real, a trick, not real, and with the intent to deceive.

We will be discussing the difference between real vs fake, with definitions of both words.

Definition of Real

The term “real” is a noun and it means something that exists as a particular quantity or reality in general.

When used as an adjective, real means something that can be characterized as a confirmation of truth. It’s a word commonly used to describe something that is authentic and genuine.

In psychological terms, the word “real” describes an individual who conveys right or straightforward feelings towards other people. Real is a word used in several contexts.

In the business world, the term ‘real’ describes something that is extremely expensive than a replica. A replica of a real thing is less expensive and it’s a fake.

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Etymology of the Word “Real”

The word “real” is derived from the Old French word “reel” (actual), which also is derived from the Latin word “realis” (actual) in Medieval Latin.

Real vs Fake: Examples of Sentences with the Term “Real”

The following are examples of sentences with the word “real”.

• It was very real like you standing right there and not a dream.
• I think those boys are not holding real guns.
• Terry did not believe at first that the diamonds were real.
• I have a feeling he is not a real singer.
• I have been at the numbers, they don’t seem to be real.
• The only real job Jonas ever had was as manager of the pizza shop.
• I doubt Mathew McCarthy is his real name.
• He won’t even let me touch him to see if those were real tattoos.
• I doubt he is a prince and those jewellery on him are not real diamonds.
• You have been moving from one job to another without showing any real commitment.
• I think she is showing her real character since she has made money.
• I have searching for a real friend since I moved to this new town.
• The manager only trusts workers he calls real staff.
• While the number of infected patients was at its peak, most people never believed it was real and called it a hoax.
• It is time for people to realize that global warming is a real and serious problem.

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Definition of Fake

The term “fake” is an adjective, meaning not real. When used as a noun, the term “fake” describes something that is not genuine or is presented fraudulently.

In psychological terms, the word “fake” describes a type of feeling or act commonly used to disguise a person’s status. In football (soccer), the word “fake” is a move meant to deceive an opposing player in order to gain an advantage when dribbling an opponent.

Additionally, fake also means to cheat, to make a counterfeit, to modify fraudulently, to make a false display of or a trick.

Etymology of the word “Fake”

The word “fake” dates back to the 1770s according to the Oxford English Dictionary. However, earlier record of the word appears to be misread as false.

The word fake is also a naval term commonly used to describe a coiled rope that looks older. Fake is a word that describes something as being counterfeit or being bogus.

This word has been in existence for over two centuries, as it was used as one of the “flash” languages used by criminals back in the 1700s and 1800s in Britain.

It’s an extract from A New and Comprehensive Vocabulary of the Flash Language. This is a dictionary of criminal slang compiled in 1819 by Hardy Vaux.

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Real vs Fake: Examples of Sentences with the Term “Fake”

The following are examples of sentences with the term “fake”.

• She faked her accent just to try to fit into the group.
• The committee suspected Martin had presented a fake certificate.
• My friend was accused of providing fake identification during a traffic stop.
• I wonder how he will feel when he realizes most of his art collections are fake.
• That is a fake, the original copy is locked up in a secured facility upstate.
• I think it’s safer to fake a tan with makeup instead of spending several hours in the sun.
• I imagined the price for that watch would be more expensive because that is a fake.
• Jeremy was suspended from the soccer team because he faked an injury.
• These wannabe celebrities really enjoy buying fake jewellery.
• Benjamin was sacked from the bank after management found out his certificate was fake.
• I doubt the bodyguards will allow you to enter the club with this fake ID.
• He bought a fake Rolex watch while he was abroad and only discovered it a few days ago.
• Correct me if am wrong but is this not a fake diamond necklace?
• Maria is living a fake life, trying to impress her friends and everyone around her.
• He was arrested on suspicion of purchasing groceries at a supermarket with fake bills.

Real vs Fake: Comparison Chart

	Real	Fake
Material Definition	Things that are valued more in the moral and monetary way	Things that do not hold much value in any way
Examples	A genuine document or a real friend	A fraudulent document or someone pretending to be a friend
Connection	A real thing cannot be made to appear fake	A fake thing can be made to appear real

Also Read: Superheroine vs Heroine: Difference and Comparison

Real vs Fake: Key Differences between Real and Fake

Real	Fake
The term “real” is a noun and it means something that exists as a particular quantity or reality in general.	The term “fake” is an adjective, meaning not real. When used as a noun, the term “fake” describes something that is not genuine or is presented fraudulently.
Defines an example of a true friend	Describes a person who pretends to be a friend
Something which is genuine i.e. a feeling or a document.	Something that is not true and has been forged to appear real.
Something which actually is there	Something which is not real or true
In a material way: real things are more expensive and have more value	Fake things do not hold much value and are less expensive

Conclusion

The term “real” is a noun that can be characterized as a confirmation of truth. It describes something that has physical existence, while fake describes something that is not genuine or is presented fraudulently.

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References

• Difference.wiki: Real vs. Fake
• Diffsence: The difference between Fake and Real
• Etymonline: Real
• Etymonline: Fake
• Dictionary: Real
• CollinsDictionary: Examples of ‘real’ in a sentence