1
as in counterfeit
being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud
a spurious Picasso painting that wouldn't have fooled an art expert for a second
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in false
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
claimed that the governor's election-year enthusiasm for conservation was spurious, since he had cut funding for state parks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in illegitimate
born to a father and mother who are not married
the spurious son of Charles II, the Duke of Monmouth would later mount a rebellion in a disastrous attempt to claim the throne
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spurious
Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s 80-year-old former leader, is serving a 27-year prison term on charges widely viewed as spurious and politically motivated.
—
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Using that spurious justification, ICE agents have detained, assaulted, and even — in the case of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti — killed people for recording.
—
Andrew Case,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
This is spurious and completely unfounded.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Feb. 2026
The spurious designation of Qassem Soleimani as a global terrorist, something long requested by Benjamin Netanyahu, gave the green light for the expansion of the designation to other entities long held off from the moniker out of fear of its implications.
—
Séamus Malekafzali,
Washington Post,
8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spurious
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Using that spurious justification, ICE agents have detained, assaulted, and even — in the case of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti — killed people for recording.
—
Andrew Case,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
This is spurious and completely unfounded.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Feb. 2026
The spurious designation of Qassem Soleimani as a global terrorist, something long requested by Benjamin Netanyahu, gave the green light for the expansion of the designation to other entities long held off from the moniker out of fear of its implications.
—
Séamus Malekafzali,
Washington Post,
8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spurious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurious
Adjective
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Merchandise including counterfeit perfumes, Rolex watches, knockoff Knicks apparel, sunglasses, electronics and Labubus were seized, in addition to $145,000 in cash, police said.
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According to the sheriff's office, Major Crimes Detectives responded to the scene to collect evidence, which included several sheets of counterfeit currency.
Adjective
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Nadi Jabari, 46, was charged with false personation, unlawful use of a blue light and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
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Back when King was indicted in the summer of 2025, about 200 of them gathered in a Cleburne conference hall to make plans about how to support the sheriff, and decried the allegations against him as false attacks on King’s character.
Adjective
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Some fraudsters run an illegitimate DME company and get a doctor to prescribe the equipment.
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After testing against other economic variables that may have contributed to higher costs, and comparing housing activity in high-fraud ZIP codes to low-fraud ones in the same county, the researchers found illegitimate PPP loans to be one of the core drivers of housing prices.
Adjective
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To combat bots, Ticketmaster, the primary ticketing platform for many concerts, blocks automated software, identifies and shuts down fake accounts and cancels orders that violate its policies.
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No one called for a fake investigation on Key Lime.
Adjective
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After a season of travel, video and phone calls and texts speaking with agents, scouts, coaches, family members and those around these players, here is my final mock draft for the 2026 NHL Draft.
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The mock-neck adds a chic touch, and the color selection is genuinely impressive.
Adjective
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He was charged with possession of a forged license plate, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop for police, traffic offenses, and an outstanding warrant out of Natick District Court.
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She was additionally found guilty of insurance fraud for taking out a $100,000 insurance policy on her husband's life with his forged signature and for submitting a claim following his death.
Adjective
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The problem is, mainstream science and society have been slow to move away from the narrative that all animals copulate only for reproduction, any same-sex activity is purely anomalous (and unnatural), and every species is male-dominated.
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While there are certain products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind.
Adjective
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Witt returned to action after missing six games with a strained right knee and went 1 for 3 as the Royals’ designated hitter.
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Nor will it be solved through another collection of disconnected tools layered into already strained environments.
Cite this Entry
“Spurious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurious. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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