variants
also phoney
1
as in fake
being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud
a phony watch with a designer logo
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bogus
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
she always has this phony smile just before she betrays you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in meaningless
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
her concern for our welfare is as phony as all get-out—she just wants to know our business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also phoney
1
as in counterfeit
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
the fancy "emerald" ring turned out to be a phony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sham
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
the person who performed the liposuction operation was later discovered to be a phony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to fake
to imitate or copy especially in order to deceive
the terrorists were able to move around the country using phonied driver's licenses
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 phony
Matt Finn, FOXNews.com, 29 May 2025
The truth is that bench walls are not needed to prevent derailments, they are not needed to insulate the high voltage cables and they are not needed to serve as walkways along the edge of the tunnel, the three phony excuses offered by Amtrak.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 25 July 2024
His character, called The Passenger, is unpredictable, violent and has no patience for phonies, though there is an emotional key to his madness.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 11 July 2024
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2024
In fact, legislators and regulators are rolling back regulations designed to protect investors, who in this case are estimated to have lost $100 billion to phony Chinese firms.
—Gary Thompson, Philly.com, 29 Mar. 2018
See All Example Sentences for phony
Adjective
Court documents read that the suspects allegedly used phony documents including fake bank and tax papers to create multiple shell companies that applied for the federal funds.
—Matt Finn, FOXNews.com, 29 May 2025
The truth is that bench walls are not needed to prevent derailments, they are not needed to insulate the high voltage cables and they are not needed to serve as walkways along the edge of the tunnel, the three phony excuses offered by Amtrak.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Noun
The comment was Vance's response after Beshear had previously called him a phony and not a Kentuckian and implied heavily that nepotism was the only reason Beshear is governor.
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 25 July 2024
His character, called The Passenger, is unpredictable, violent and has no patience for phonies, though there is an emotional key to his madness.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 11 July 2024
Verb
What constitutes the crime is to phony up business accounting records to disguise the payments.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2024
In fact, legislators and regulators are rolling back regulations designed to protect investors, who in this case are estimated to have lost $100 billion to phony Chinese firms.
—Gary Thompson, Philly.com, 29 Mar. 2018
See All Example Sentences for phony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phony
Adjective
-
There’s a backdrop of fake news and collective anxiety.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
5 June 2025
-
Federal agents concluded that many of the documents, which were turned over by an attorney representing the restaurant, were fake or falsified, according to the warrant.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
But after a computer expert proved the data was bogus, Lindell refused to honor the challenge, leading to an arbitration panel ordering him to pay up the $5 million.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
10 June 2025
-
Jones declared bankruptcy after the Sandy Hook families won $1.3 billion in two defamation suits in Connecticut and Texas after Jones spread bogus conspiracy theories that the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., was a hoax.—
Tovia Smith,
NPR,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
And if your tax attorney crafts a great benefits plan for your business but fails to communicate the specifics to your retirement broker, the plan is meaningless.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
Charlie Comfort, a Democrat from the former early-voting state of Iowa, said the critiques of Murphy and Khanna are meaningless so long after the 2024 election.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
24 May 2025
Noun
-
On counterfeits, the color is almost always wrong, usually a highlighter shade of yellow instead.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Marcus Ray Chavez, 30, gave the girl counterfeit pills containing fentanyl on at least four occasions between September and November of 2022, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Pottery Barn Outlet Bedding Deals There are plenty of deals on comfortable quilts, cozy comforters, and shams in the Pottery Barn bedding sale section.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 May 2025
-
Quince often has Bundle & Save offers for up to 25% off select clothing and bedding sets with hotel-quality sheets, duvets, and shams.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
That perspective, forged through experience and gratitude, keeps him grounded when the stakes feel highest.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
-
Also, Leos are known to forge their path — closely resembling Mikey‘s use of One-Eyed Willy’s map to search for the Liberator’s treasure.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
Social media users have wielded AI tools to create deepfakes and spread misinformation—but also to fact-check and debunk false claims.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
12 June 2025
-
On Wednesday, Dobbins addressed the story about his false claims.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
This could certainly change if the Rockets land a certain French teenager in this year's draft lottery, but the first half of 2022-23 has assuaged some concerns about the long-term viability of a pseudo-twin-towers in the starting lineup with Jabari Smith flanked by Alperen Şengün.—
Michael Shapiro,
Chron,
15 Jan. 2023
-
In a code division scheme, each call is encoded in a random or pseudo-random sequencing, and receivers at the other end are equipped to decode their own calls.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Apr. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Phony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phony. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share