variants
also phoneys
1
as in counterfeits
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
the fancy "emerald" ring turned out to be a phony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frauds
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 fakes
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
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Recent Examples of phonies
Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
The men who flocked to spring training sites were called scabs, cast as anti-union phonies.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phonies
Noun
-
Greece, home to an extensive repository of cultural artifacts, has long contended with the proliferation of counterfeits and the looting of archaeological sites.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
By 2009, Nakamoto took Bitcoin from theory to reality, mining the Genesis Block, and then, once the rules were set, protections against counterfeits were secured, and Bitcoin began to circulate—still worth next to nothing—Nakamoto vanished.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The National Association of Mortgage Brokers recommends customers take precautions to avoid potential frauds by calling sources and double-checking any information or requests.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
There are some elite frauds going on in the sports world right now.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Jenna Ushkowitz was a Spring Awakening costar of Lea Michele's when Ryan Murphy cast her to play the one-time goth Tina, who fakes a stutter to stand out at school.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Returning the favor Kitty did for her earlier in Season 3 by visiting her in New York during a turbulent time with her longtime boyfriend Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), Kitty’s older sister Lara Jean (Lana Condor) fakes norovirus to fly to Seoul and take care of Kitty post-Chuseok chaos.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, has also been the subject of death hoaxes in the past, including in 2018, when a fake article reporting his death circulated online.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Fox, who has been living with Parkinson’s for more than 30 years, has been the subject of death hoaxes over the years.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These two pretenders reflect an insider debate whose subject is not the existence of the Islamic Republic but the best method of its survival.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Jaime Alas scores in stoppage time and El Salvador forges a 3-3 tie that ousts the United States from Olympic soccer qualifying.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
So holding 18, 19, 20-year-old young men to those standards on a daily basis is what forges championship teams.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Jennie’s first solo studio album, Ruby, was released on March 7, 2025, and sold 1 million copies worldwide in its first week.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Released in 2011, the album is considered one of the best in his repertoire, selling over 10 million copies and earning him a Grammy.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The cotton blend fill adds a bit more loft than other options while still staying breathable, and two coordinating pillow shams complete the look.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The gauzy texture is made from organic cotton, and the decorative pillow shams have a highly dimensional stitching.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phonies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phonies. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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