Definition of bona fidenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bona fide contrast with its synonyms?

The words authentic and genuine are common synonyms of bona fide. While all three words mean "being actually and exactly what is claimed," bona fide implies good faith and sincerity of intention.

a bona fide offer for the stock

When is authentic a more appropriate choice than bona fide?

The meanings of authentic and bona fide largely overlap; however, authentic implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact; it can also stress painstaking or faithful imitation of an original.

an authentic account of the perilous journey
an authentic reproduction
authentic Vietnamese cuisine

When could genuine be used to replace bona fide?

The synonyms genuine and bona fide are sometimes interchangeable, but genuine implies actual character not counterfeited, imitated, or adulterated; it also connotes definite origin from a source.

genuine piety
genuine maple syrup
a genuine Mark Twain autograph

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bona fide For Democrats in this robustly blue state, part of the challenge in figuring a path forward is that every candidate — even those already in power — pitches themselves as a bona fide progressive against the status quo. National Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026 Its first season had strong ratings, but by season two, the show had become a bona fide phenomenon and eventually passed The Sopranos for the most viewers of an HBO show ever. Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026 What to expect from Wilson the broadcaster As a bona fide superstar quarterback, Wilson was always going to have great TV opportunities ahead of him once his playing days were over. Dan Shanoff, New York Times, 3 June 2026 The couple is known for transforming their small apartment kitchen into a bona fide cafe complete with specialty drinks, featured menu items, and friends gathered around tables or curled up on sofas (or sometimes the floor) with a plate. Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bona fide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bona fide
Adjective
  • Malone's country music is described as authentic and inspired by classic country artists, with a focus on live performance and instrumentation.
    Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
  • McCollum embraces his evolving artistry, prioritizing authentic expression over genre conventions.
    Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Tables filled with food, cheerful toasts and a genuine love for partying became popular with non-Armenian clientele too.
    Ani Duzdabanyan, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
  • The actor argued that social media creates the illusion of intimacy while removing the unpredictability that comes with genuine human connection.
    Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
Adjective
  • Not only without the ball, their were moments of real quality when Cape Verde recovered possession, zipping the ball around the Spanish pressure and often looking to play their way out with short passes into midfield.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • Newsom doesn’t collect any real revenue from his podcast, but did report collecting more than $100,000 in publication fee and royalties last year for books he’s written.
    Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Adjective
  • Any young actor in this business knows the hardest part is just getting in the door — actually, that’s not true, the hardest part is sustaining a long career.
    Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
  • This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism.
    The Atlantic, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Adjective
  • In this Water sign, the taskmaster will expose emotional or spiritual fatigue, which asks us to build something honest and enduring rather than idealized and faulty.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
  • That was just such a beautiful, honest scene and such incredible performances.
    Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • Fountain explains how the political times of the original Rasputin increasingly mirror our own and reads from Rasputin Swims the Potomac.
    Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
  • As soon as that original article with my collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier was published in the summer of 2012, immediately there were many labs that started using it and testing it for gene editing in different systems.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 11 June 2026
Adjective
  • But what made that quote so incredible were not the actual words, but rather the face on the person saying it.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Dec. 2025
  • Planning starts months in advance, Kathy Evers says, but the actual decorating only takes about five days, with the help of some 100 volunteers.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • Other enrollment assisters, such as certified application counselors or insurance brokers, also help.
    Sarah Volpenhein, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
  • Kipaş Textiles will then turn these into certified, high-quality filament yarns and staple fibers for new textile collections.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 10 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bona fide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bona%20fide. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

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