phony

¹pho·ny

adj \ˈfō-nē\

pho·ni·erpho·ni·est

Definition of PHONY

: not genuine or real: as a (1) : intended to deceive or mislead (2) : intended to defraud : counterfeit b : arousing suspicion : probably dishonest <something phony about the story> c : having no basis in fact : fictitious <phony publicity stories> d : false, sham <a phony name> e : making a false show: as (1) : hypocritical (2) : specious <has a phony poetic elegance — New Republic>

— pho·ni·ly \ˈfō-ni-lē\ adverb

— pho·ni·ness \ˈfō-nē-nəs\ noun

Variants of PHONY

pho·ny also pho·ney \ˈfō-nē\

Examples of PHONY

1. <a phony watch with a designer logo>
2. <she always has this phony smile just before she betrays you>

Origin of PHONY

perhaps alteration of fawney gilded brass ring used in the fawney rig, a confidence game, from Irish fáinne ring, from Old Irish ánne — more at anus

First Known Use: 1900

Related to PHONY

Synonyms: bogus, fake, false, forged, inauthentic, counterfeit (also phoney), queer, sham, snide, spurious, unauthentic

Antonyms: authentic, bona fide, genuine, real, unfaked

Related Words: artificial, factitious, imitation, man-made, mimic, mock, simulated, substitute, synthetic; dummy, nonfunctioning, ornamental; cultured, fabricated, manufactured; deceptive, delusive, misleading

Near Antonyms: natural; actual, true, valid

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with PHONY

bony, coney, crony, pony, stony, tony, Tony, yoni