1. the act or practice of deceiving others by pretending to be someone or something one is not
2. a fraudulent or deceptive act or scheme

Examples

• The man’s claim to be a doctor was revealed as an imposture when authorities checked his credentials.
• She maintained the imposture for months before anyone discovered her true identity.
• The elaborate imposture fooled even the most experienced investigators.
• His imposture as a wealthy businessman eventually collapsed when his debts mounted.
• The detective uncovered the imposture through careful examination of the evidence.
• What seemed like genuine charity work turned out to be an imposture designed to steal donations.