imitation vs fake

imitation and fake both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
imitation	Yes	Yes	No	No
fake	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

As adjectives, imitation and fake are synonyms defined as:

imitation and fake: not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article

Other synonyms of imitation include false, faux, simulated.

As nouns, fake is a hyponym of imitation; that is, fake is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than imitation:

Other hyponyms of imitation include postiche, sham, counterfeit, forgery.

imitation (noun)	fake (noun)
copying (or trying to copy) the actions of someone else	(football) a deceptive move made by a football player
something copied or derived from an original	something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be
the doctrine that representations of nature or human behavior should be accurate imitations	a person who makes deceitful pretenses
a representation of a person that is exaggerated for comic effect

imitation (adjective)	fake (adjective)
not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article	not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article
	fraudulent; having a misleading appearance

imitation (verb)	fake (verb)
	speak insincerely or without regard for facts or truths
	make a copy of with the intent to deceive
	tamper, with the purpose of deception