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

• 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

Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra was arrested on charges of felony forgery on Monday, May 19, by the Perrysburg Police Department, according to the Perrysburg school district. —Michael Nied, People.com, 21 May 2025

District Attorney Rachel Mitchell said Owens has been charged with seven counts of fraud, perjury, forgery and evidence tampering. —Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 May 2025

Developed through Film Independent’s Screenwriters Lab, Forge is set in Miami’s art world and follows siblings Raymond and Coco Zhang—gifted but struggling artists who operate a covert forgery ring from the back of their family’s restaurant. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 May 2025

Family offices often face barriers such as high transaction costs, forgery risks, and a scarcity of expert knowledge, which complicate the investment process. —Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 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