Impostor

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Impostor

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

im-POS-tuh  /ɪmˈpɒstə/

Definition

A person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others; a fraud.

Plain meaning

An impostor is someone who pretends to be a different person — usually to gain something they would not otherwise be entitled to. A person who claims to be a doctor when they are not is an impostor. A spy who assumes a false identity is an impostor. An actor playing a character is not an impostor — the key is the deceptive intent. The related term impostor syndrome describes the psychological experience of feeling like a fraud even when you are legitimately qualified.

Register

Neutral. Impostor is used in legal, historical, and everyday contexts. Impostor syndrome is a widely used everyday psychological term. The word is not particularly formal or informal — it simply names a specific kind of deceiver.