forgery

play

noun forg·ery \ˈfȯrj-rē, ˈfȯr-jə-\

Definition of forgery

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)

See forgery defined for English-language learners

See forgery defined for kids

Examples of forgery in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of forgery from the Web

Prosecutors decided in June to charge her with forgery, after school principal Sally Rozanski said Spring signed her name on checks without permission.

— scott travis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Employees accused of stealing from 3 Palm Beach County schools; officials eye reforms," 18 July 2017
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office charged each of them with one count of forgery, grand theft auto and identity theft.

— andy nguyen, Glendale News-Press, "Couple arrested in Glendale for alleged grand theft auto," 14 July 2017
The forgery Schawinski posted on Twitter was the work of a generative adversarial network, a kind of machine-learning model that pits two dueling neural networks against each other.

— science news staff, Science | AAAS, "AI is changing how we do science. Get a glimpse," 5 July 2017
BROOK PARK, Ohio -- City Council President Jim Astorino introduced four draft ordinances during the June 27 caucus that raised questions and elicited accusations of forgery from Mayor Tom Coyne.

— beth mlady, cleveland.com, "Questionable law department stamp on Brook Park council documents leads mayor to claim 'forgery'," 30 June 2017
Heritage Parkway, 1600 block: An individual was arrested for forgery.

— star-telegram, "Mansfield Police Report," 27 June 2017
Lyerla was sentenced April 19 to six months in jail for first- and second-degree forgery after admitting to paying for chewing tabacco, lottery tickets and other items with counterfeit $50 bills.

— everton bailey jr., OregonLive.com, "Colt Lyerla sentenced to 30 more days in jail for corrections center escape," 27 June 2017
Cathleen Spring, 53, of West Palm Beach, was arrested Friday on four counts of forgery and falsifying document charges.

— scott travis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Former Bak Middle treasurer arrested on forgery charges," 26 June 2017
Smith, being held at the men’s maximum-security prison in Smyrna, was convicted in 2003 of burglary, forgery and theft.

— Washington Post, "Judge say inmate serving life can seek to modify sentence," 22 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'forgery.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of forgery

1583

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

FORGERY Defined for English Language Learners

forgery

play

noun

Definition of forgery for English Language Learners

: the crime of falsely making or copying a document in order to deceive people
: something that is falsely made or copied in order to deceive people : something that is forged

FORGERY Defined for Kids

forgery

play

noun forg·ery \ˈfȯr-jə-rē\

Definition of forgery for Students

plural

forgeries

1 : the crime of falsely making or changing a written paper or signing someone else's name
2 : something that is falsely made or copied This signature is a forgery.

Law Dictionary

forgery

noun forg·ery

Legal Definition of forgery

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