forgery

noun

forg·​ery ˈfȯrj-rē 

ˈfȯr-jə-

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

• counterfeit
• fake
• hoax
• humbug
• phony
• phoney
• sham

Examples of forgery in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Cedrick Swinson, 49, of Raleigh, North Carolina was charged last Tuesday with one count each of first-degree larceny, first-degree forgery, first-degree identity theft and criminal impersonation, according to the Farmington Police Department. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 18 June 2024

That helps the bureau stay current on particular countries’ cultures, enabling victories like their Niger analyst recognizing the yellowcake documents as a forgery. —Dylan Matthews, Vox, 28 May 2024

In Arizona, Giuliani has been charged with one count of conspiracy, two fraudulent scheme counts and six counts of forgery. —Tim Balk, New York Daily News, 21 May 2024

In April, an Arizona grand jury indicted 18 people, including former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani and former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, with felony offenses including fraud, forgery and conspiracy in connection with a scheme to falsely declare that Trump had beaten Biden in the state in 2020. —David Faris, Newsweek, 10 July 2024

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