Definitions
- Referring to someone who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive or defraud others. - Talking about a person who assumes a false identity or persona for personal gain or advantage. - Describing someone who is not who they claim to be and is attempting to deceive others.
- Referring to someone who deceives others by pretending to be someone else. - Talking about a person who assumes a false identity or persona for fraudulent purposes. - Describing someone who is not who they claim to be and is attempting to deceive others.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words refer to someone who is pretending to be someone else.
- 2Both words imply deception or fraud.
- 3Both words can be used as nouns or adjectives.
What is the difference?
- 1Usage: Impostor is more formal and is often used in legal or official contexts, while imposter is more informal and commonly used in everyday language.
- 2Connotation: Impostor has a more negative connotation, implying intentional deception or fraud, while imposter can also be used to describe someone who is simply pretending to be someone else without necessarily having malicious intent.
- 3Frequency: Imposter is slightly more common than impostor in both American and British English.
Remember this!
Both imposter and impostor refer to someone who is pretending to be someone else with the intention of deceiving others. The difference between the two words is mainly in their spelling, etymology, usage, connotation, and frequency. Impostor is more formal and has a more negative connotation, while imposter is more informal and can also be used to describe someone who is pretending without necessarily having malicious intent.
