as in authentic
being exactly as appears or as claimed
a bona fide war hero
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Recent Examples of bona fide
Dominik Mysterio is continuing his ascension as a bona fide superstar in WWE, due to his heelish persona, heat-generating promos, and impressive in-ring work.
—
Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Since the initial reception, both good and bad, the movie has become a bona fide classic, being spoofed, revisited and referenced in different forms of media over the last three decades, with Macaulay himself most recently revisiting the character for an ad campaign with Home Instead.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 16 Nov. 2025
For well over a decade dance music has helped to define the musical mainstream, and artists nominated in the dance/electronic categories this year – including Disclosure, Fred Again.., Skrillex and FKA twigs – are bona fide stars who deserve more visible recognition.
—Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025
In October, Florida utilized multiple lineups that included four true freshmen, with Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson becoming bona fide SEC stars in their first weeks of action.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bona fide
Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Since the initial reception, both good and bad, the movie has become a bona fide classic, being spoofed, revisited and referenced in different forms of media over the last three decades, with Macaulay himself most recently revisiting the character for an ad campaign with Home Instead.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 16 Nov. 2025
For well over a decade dance music has helped to define the musical mainstream, and artists nominated in the dance/electronic categories this year – including Disclosure, Fred Again.., Skrillex and FKA twigs – are bona fide stars who deserve more visible recognition.
—Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025
In October, Florida utilized multiple lineups that included four true freshmen, with Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson becoming bona fide SEC stars in their first weeks of action.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bona fide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bona fide
Adjective
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But the greatest demand is for human-centric avatars that can build authentic rapport.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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How authentic is the music on the 'The Testament of Ann Lee' soundtrack?—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The new telescope represents a genuine leap toward accessible professional astronomy, stripping away the technical barriers.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Jan. 2026
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The strength of the Premier League has never been more evident, with each side posing a genuine threat to take points off each other.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Dell is finally good at something—but as her behavior becomes riskier and a shadowy troll threatens to expose her dark past, Dell must reckon with what her digital life ignores, and what real redemption means.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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When boys are asked to show up consistently for real people, academic readiness and emotional readiness develop side by side.—
Dr. Liz Doe Stone,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Such should be true for tomorrow as well.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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The app will bring to the fore true voices endorsed by the fanbases.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Hopeful storytelling — still complex, still honest — but rooted in empathy.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
If a relative asks for a favor, name your bandwidth and offer an honest timeline.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Oh-My-God particle first interacted with an atomic nucleus in the upper atmosphere, producing a series of daughter particles that each maintain a fraction of the original particle’s momentum, which then collide with greater and greater numbers of particles, and so on.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
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The show, clearly meant to be an appealing first exposure for K-pop outsiders, selects Top 40 hits from across the decades and pairs the original artists up with Korean idols, who transform them in ways meant to resemble the K-pop formula.—
Sheldon Pearce,
NPR,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Those minutes were finally on the downturn Thursday night, with actual center Valanciunas returning to the Nuggets’ rotation after an 11-game absence.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
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The actual number of affected users is unclear.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Heat your home properly and safely, using only certified space heaters and fireplaces when necessary.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Jan. 2026
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The Beatles continue to lead with 183 million certified albums shifted.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bona fide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bona%20fide. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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