forgery

noun

forg·​ery ˈfȯr-jə-rē 

ˈfȯrj-rē

plural forgeries

1

archaic : invention

2

: something forged

3

: an act of forging

especially : the crime of falsely and fraudulently making or altering a document (such as a check)

Synonyms

• hoax
• counterfeit

Examples of forgery in a Sentence

that is a cheap forgery, not an authentic Ming Dynasty vase

Recent Examples on the Web

To pull off the ultimate heist in a world where trust is scarce, Halston must assemble an unlikely crew of fixers, including an expert in forgery, a merciless mob boss, and an eccentric fashion designer. —Ellise Shafer, Variety, 16 July 2025

Dennett was wanted for criminal conspiracy, forgery and a computer crime and was not allowed to have a gun, the sheriff’s office said. —Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2025

These digital forgeries have become sophisticated enough to fool facial recognition systems, enabling cybercriminals to impersonate real people and commit fraud. —Steven Smith, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

Legal experts who spoke with the Washington Examiner say proving that scenario would require substantial evidence of forgery or fraud, a high bar that makes criminal charges unlikely but opens the door to congressional oversight and possible constitutional reform. —Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

forge entry 2 + -ery

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

forgery

noun

forg·​ery ˈfōrj-(ə-)rē 

ˈfȯrj-

plural forgeries

1

: something (as a signature) that has been forged

2

: the crime of falsely making or changing a written paper or signing someone else's name

Legal Definition

forgery

noun

forg·​ery

plural forgeries

1

: the act of falsely making, altering, or imitating (as a document or signature) with intent to defraud

also : the crime of committing such an act

2

: something that is forged