Inauthentic

Inauthentic is an adjective used to describe something that is not genuine or lacking authenticity. It can refer to objects that are counterfeit or misrepresented, to feelings and intentions that are insincere, or to experiences and representations that give a false impression of genuineness. When applied to people, inauthenticity implies behavior that is not aligned with their true beliefs or values, often performed to gain social approval or fit a perceived role.

The word is formed from the prefix in- plus authentic, with authentic derived from Latin authenticus, which itself comes from Greek authentikos, meaning original or trustworthy. In philosophy and cultural critique, inauthenticity is linked to living in bad faith or choosing appearances over truth, a theme in existential thinking that contrasts with an authentic life oriented toward one’s own values and commitments.

In practice, inauthentic is used in art, media, and daily discourse to critique impersonations, clichéd marketing personas, or experiences perceived as contrived. Common examples include an inauthentic smile or an inauthentic regional dish marketed as native despite lacking genuine provenance.

See also: authenticity, sincerity, genuineness, bad faith, insincerity.