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

Darryl McCauley was sentenced to six years in prison on charges including larceny, forgery, and embezzlement; Erika McCauley was sentenced to two to three years in prison on charges including two counts of larceny. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

Lozano was charged with felony theft by taking, 10 counts of second-degree forgery, 10 counts of identity fraud, and 10 counts of making false statements. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

The booming market for South Asian art has been flooded with forgeries. — News Desk, Artforum, 20 Aug. 2026

South Asia’s modern art market has boomed, surpassing $100 million in auction sales in 2025, but a surge in forgeries threatens its growth, the FT wrote. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 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