Impostor
noun
A person who pretends to be someone else in order to trick people.
The man was later revealed to be an impostor who had stolen someone else's identity.
Often appears as...
- expose as an impostor
- unmask the impostor
noun
A person who deceives others by assuming a false identity, especially for criminal purposes.
The court found him guilty of being an impostor who had imitated a police officer.
Often appears as...
- impostor syndrome
- convict the impostor
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
noun
A person who pretends to be someone else in order to trick people.
The man was later revealed to be an impostor who had stolen someone else's identity.
Often appears as...
- expose as an impostor
- unmask the impostor
noun
A person who deceives others by assuming a false identity, especially for criminal purposes.
The court found him guilty of being an impostor who had imitated a police officer.
Often appears as...
- impostor syndrome
- convict the impostor
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Deception Intention
Impostor implies deliberate trickery, not accidental identity confusion.
He acted as an impostor to access the exclusive event.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Using 'impostor' suggests the person is dishonest and not trustworthy.
The woman's accolades were stripped when she was exposed as an impostor.
Pro Tip 3/3Expose Required
An impostor often requires another character or event to reveal their deceit.
The documentary crew accidentally exposed the impostor.
Pro Tip 1/3Deception Intention
Impostor implies deliberate trickery, not accidental identity confusion.
He acted as an impostor to access the exclusive event.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Using 'impostor' suggests the person is dishonest and not trustworthy.
The woman's accolades were stripped when she was exposed as an impostor.
Pro Tip 3/3Expose Required
An impostor often requires another character or event to reveal their deceit.
The documentary crew accidentally exposed the impostor.
Pro Tip 1/3Deception Intention
Impostor implies deliberate trickery, not accidental identity confusion.
He acted as an impostor to access the exclusive event.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Using 'impostor' suggests the person is dishonest and not trustworthy.
The woman's accolades were stripped when she was exposed as an impostor.
Pro Tip 3/3Expose Required
An impostor often requires another character or event to reveal their deceit.
The documentary crew accidentally exposed the impostor.
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Video examples
What is imposter...
At least so far, the most surefire way to combat imposter syndrome is to talk about it. Many people suffering from imposter syndrome are afraid that if they ask about their performance, their fears will be confirmed. And even when they receive positive feedback, it often fails to ease feelings of fraudulence. But on the other hand,
Video examples
Your body language may...
So I said, fake it till you make it. It's not me. I don't want to get there and then still feel like a fraud. I don't want to feel like an impostor. I don't want to get there only to feel like I'm not supposed to be here. And that really resonated with me, because I want to tell you a little story about being an impostor
Video examples
3 clues to understanding...
but she's an impostor. She's some other woman pretending to be my mother." Now, why does this happen? Why would somebody -- and this person is perfectly lucid and intelligent in all other respects, but when he sees his mother, his delusion kicks in and says, it's not mother. Now, the most common interpretation of this,
Video examples
Your body language...
your outcomes they say to me I don't it feels fake right so I said fake it till you make it like I don't it's not me like I don't want to get there and then still feel like a fraud I don't want to feel like an impostor I don't want to get there only to feel like I'm not supposed to be here and that really
Video examples
Thinking your way out of...
identified and showed it other the other students as a matter of fact we decide to start a little impostor support group we started meeting and talking about big intellectual frauds and how we're fooling all of our professors and everything went great for about three weeks and that's about the time I
Video examples
How you can use impostor...
moved from the sort of theatrical lumps of coal in the parliament to discussing kind of which industrial-scale battery chemistry was the best for building large-scale renewable batteries. So I think that the important lesson is by that time in my life, I knew well that I was an impostor.
Video examples
Would you raise the bird...
it may be best to simply foster the imposter. Brood parasitism tends to evoke horror and disdain. But why should it be thought of as any more objectionable than predator-prey relationships? And is it ever productive to impose human morals onto other animals?
Video examples
Can you solve the...
Now, take two of the newly marked coins and weigh them against each other. If they balance, the third coin is fake. Otherwise, look at their marks. If they are plus coins, the heavier one is the imposter. If they are marked with minus, it's the lighter one.
Video examples
Orchids "Pretend" to be...
its impostors like the milk snake posing as the deadly coral snake and even plants are made to mimic other species busy thinks the mimicking orcas are trying to attract a particular fly which helps the plants pollinate these
Video examples
Exploring the Mole's...
that this imposter grows from a sesamoid bone in the moles wrist sesamoid bones are found where attendant passes over a joint the kneecap for instance is a sesamoid bone they both protect the joint and
Video examples
What is imposter...
At least so far, the most surefire way to combat imposter syndrome is to talk about it. Many people suffering from imposter syndrome are afraid that if they ask about their performance, their fears will be confirmed. And even when they receive positive feedback, it often fails to ease feelings of fraudulence. But on the other hand,
Video examples
Your body language may...
So I said, fake it till you make it. It's not me. I don't want to get there and then still feel like a fraud. I don't want to feel like an impostor. I don't want to get there only to feel like I'm not supposed to be here. And that really resonated with me, because I want to tell you a little story about being an impostor
Video examples
3 clues to understanding...
but she's an impostor. She's some other woman pretending to be my mother." Now, why does this happen? Why would somebody -- and this person is perfectly lucid and intelligent in all other respects, but when he sees his mother, his delusion kicks in and says, it's not mother. Now, the most common interpretation of this,
Video examples
Your body language...
your outcomes they say to me I don't it feels fake right so I said fake it till you make it like I don't it's not me like I don't want to get there and then still feel like a fraud I don't want to feel like an impostor I don't want to get there only to feel like I'm not supposed to be here and that really
Video examples
Thinking your way out of...
identified and showed it other the other students as a matter of fact we decide to start a little impostor support group we started meeting and talking about big intellectual frauds and how we're fooling all of our professors and everything went great for about three weeks and that's about the time I
Video examples
How you can use impostor...
moved from the sort of theatrical lumps of coal in the parliament to discussing kind of which industrial-scale battery chemistry was the best for building large-scale renewable batteries. So I think that the important lesson is by that time in my life, I knew well that I was an impostor.
Video examples
Would you raise the bird...
it may be best to simply foster the imposter. Brood parasitism tends to evoke horror and disdain. But why should it be thought of as any more objectionable than predator-prey relationships? And is it ever productive to impose human morals onto other animals?
Video examples
Can you solve the...
Now, take two of the newly marked coins and weigh them against each other. If they balance, the third coin is fake. Otherwise, look at their marks. If they are plus coins, the heavier one is the imposter. If they are marked with minus, it's the lighter one.
Video examples
Orchids "Pretend" to be...
its impostors like the milk snake posing as the deadly coral snake and even plants are made to mimic other species busy thinks the mimicking orcas are trying to attract a particular fly which helps the plants pollinate these
Video examples
Exploring the Mole's...
that this imposter grows from a sesamoid bone in the moles wrist sesamoid bones are found where attendant passes over a joint the kneecap for instance is a sesamoid bone they both protect the joint and
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Rhiannon Giddens
American Musician
You know, I really feel a responsibility to the music, and I teach workshops in music sometimes. And folks do come to me and they go, 'How do I make this blues song my own? How do I feel like I'm not an impostor doing this?' And I'm like, 'That's an excellent question.' That's where you should start, where you go, 'How does this speak to me?
Quote examples
Pete Postlethwaite
English Actor
At the end of the day, acting is all about telling lies. We are professional imposters and the audience accept that. We've made this deal that we tell you a tale and a pack of lies, but there will be a truth in it. You may enjoy it, or it will disturb you.
Quote examples
Edie Campbell
English Model
If you always feel like an imposter, you work harder, and that makes you better at your job. You've got to keep a level of variation; otherwise, you'll end up talking about nails and beauty products all the time.
Quote examples
Viola Davis
American Actress
It feels like my hard work has paid off, but at the same time, I still have the impostor, you know, syndrome. I still feel like I'm going to wake up, and everybody's going to see me for the hack I am.
Quote examples
Xavi
Spanish Athlete
In football, the result is an impostor. You can do things really, really well but not win. There's something greater than the result, more lasting - a legacy.
Quote examples
Caroline Ghosn
American Businesswoman
Impostor syndrome, or feeling like a fraud at work, at home, or anywhere else in your life, will probably affect you at some point.
Quote examples
Werner Herzog
German Director
I find it interesting that there are impostors out on the Internet pretending to be Werner Herzog.
Quote examples
Sally Mann
American Photographer
The fundamental thing about my personality is that I think I'm an imposter.
Quote examples
Pablo Picasso
Spanish Painter
The people who make art their business are mostly imposters.
Quote examples
Julia Fox
Italian Actress
I have that imposter syndrome.
Quote examples
Rhiannon Giddens
American Musician
You know, I really feel a responsibility to the music, and I teach workshops in music sometimes. And folks do come to me and they go, 'How do I make this blues song my own? How do I feel like I'm not an impostor doing this?' And I'm like, 'That's an excellent question.' That's where you should start, where you go, 'How does this speak to me?
Quote examples
Pete Postlethwaite
English Actor
At the end of the day, acting is all about telling lies. We are professional imposters and the audience accept that. We've made this deal that we tell you a tale and a pack of lies, but there will be a truth in it. You may enjoy it, or it will disturb you.
Quote examples
Edie Campbell
English Model
If you always feel like an imposter, you work harder, and that makes you better at your job. You've got to keep a level of variation; otherwise, you'll end up talking about nails and beauty products all the time.
Quote examples
Viola Davis
American Actress
It feels like my hard work has paid off, but at the same time, I still have the impostor, you know, syndrome. I still feel like I'm going to wake up, and everybody's going to see me for the hack I am.
Quote examples
Xavi
Spanish Athlete
In football, the result is an impostor. You can do things really, really well but not win. There's something greater than the result, more lasting - a legacy.
Quote examples
Caroline Ghosn
American Businesswoman
Impostor syndrome, or feeling like a fraud at work, at home, or anywhere else in your life, will probably affect you at some point.
Quote examples
Werner Herzog
German Director
I find it interesting that there are impostors out on the Internet pretending to be Werner Herzog.
Quote examples
Sally Mann
American Photographer
The fundamental thing about my personality is that I think I'm an imposter.
Quote examples
Pablo Picasso
Spanish Painter
The people who make art their business are mostly imposters.
Quote examples
Julia Fox
Italian Actress
I have that imposter syndrome.
Example 1 of 10
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