forgery

noun

forg·​ery ˈfȯr-jə-rē 

ˈfȯrj-rē

plural forgeries

1

: something forged

2

: an act of forging

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

3

archaic : invention

Synonyms of forgery

• hoax
• counterfeit

Examples of forgery in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The rest have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, fraud and forgery charges. —Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026

There was the friend who bought the wine, the person who made the fake ID, the clerk who may or may not have looked at the forgery before ringing up the sale. —Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 4 June 2026

The Riverside Sheriff's Department began an investigation into Renee Wilson in March, and the 51-year-old was arrested Tuesday on one count of misappropriation of public funds, three counts of grand theft, two counts of embezzlement by a public officer, and four counts of forgery. —Julie Sharp, CBS News, 3 June 2026

Facial recognition also significantly reduces the possibility of forgery or fraud when compared with ID cards or passwords. —Vijayan Asari, The Conversation, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

forge entry 2 + -ery

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 3

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