bogus

adjective

bo·​gus ˈbō-gəs 

: not genuine : counterfeit, sham

a bogus claim

The evidence was completely bogus.

bogusly adverb

bogusness noun

Did you know?

Bogus Has a Long History

In the early 19th century, a "bogus" was a machine used to make counterfeit coins. No one knows for sure how this coin-copying contraption got its name, but before long bogus became a name for funny money or for a fraudulent imitation of any kind. The more common "phony" adjective followed.

Synonyms

• artificial
• dummy
• ersatz
• factitious
• fake
• false
• faux
• imitation
• imitative
• man-made
• mimic
• mock
• pretend
• sham
• simulated
• substitute
• synthetic

Examples of bogus in a Sentence

It was just a bogus claim.

The evidence was completely bogus.

Recent Examples on the Web

Business Column: The bogus, homophobic campaign against Biden’s stellar FCC nominee Feb. 3, 2023 Until Thursday, the state laws functioned as bulwarks against net neutrality abuses by ISPs. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024

The bogus plates also allow drivers to avoid paying insurance, registration fees and taxes. —Michael Corkery, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024

In the wake of 2020, bogus claims that the elections were stolen focused on ballot stuffing, mail-in ballots, and election machine malfunctions; but in 2024 and at the CSPOA conference on Wednesday, the focus for most of these speakers was on the border. —David Gilbert, WIRED, 18 Apr. 2024

Clark had been arrested for filing a bogus class action lawsuit against her abusive husband, court documents said. —Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024

Next came painful and unnecessary feeding tubes, a bogus epilepsy diagnosis and a falsehood that her daughter had leukemia, for which Dee Dee shaved her head often. —Danielle Bacher, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024

The allegations against Section 702 by Trump and a mix of populist, libertarian, and leftist critics are mostly bogus. —The Editors, National Review, 12 Apr. 2024

In Miami, church officials recently warned the faithful about fake priests performing bogus rituals in exchange for iTunes gift cards loaded with cash. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024

Advertisement In Miami, church officials recently warned the faithful about fake priests performing bogus rituals in exchange for iTunes gift cards loaded with cash. —Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

obsolete argot bogus counterfeit money

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

bogus

adjective

bo·​gus ˈbō-gəs 

: not genuine : counterfeit, sham