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

Polk is charged with one count each of first-degree murder and embezzlement from a vulnerable adult and two counts each of forgery of a document, identity theft and possession of a financial transaction device. —Christina Hall, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Brewer has a prior felony record that includes a January 2014 conviction in Clay County Circuit Court for forgery and a May 2022 conviction in Jackson County Circuit Court for tampering with a motor vehicle. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 1 Sep. 2025

Investigators found 189 decomposing bodies stored at room temperature at the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose in 2023 and charged owners Jon and Carie Hallford with abuse of a corpse, theft and forgery. —Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 29 Aug. 2025

The letters, provided by Lex Cusack, had turned out to be forgeries, and Hersh was criticized for having had anything to do with them. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Aug. 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