phonies 1 of 2

variants also phoneys
Definition of phoniesnext
plural of phony

phonies

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of phony
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

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 phonies
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
  • 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
  • While many online retailers and marketplaces have taken steps to address the marketing of counterfeits, others still haven’t put the requisite measures in place—like notice and takedown procedures, identity verification and policies to punish offenders—that would curb the behavior.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 5 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
  • 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
  • This isn’t a war where AI fakes fool everyone nor where detection tools catch everything.
    Mahsa Alimardani, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Although investigators received many tips, some were hoaxes and others didn’t lead to any developments.
    Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Obviously, these are hoaxes right now.
    March 17, CBS News, 17 Mar. 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
  • Bully sold a strong 56,000 physical copies in its first week and logged over 98 million on-demand streams in the same period.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Investigators got copies of text messages between the source and Guo that included his plans and information about the targets.
    Laura Fay, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • This set, which includes a quilt and matching shams, features a box-stitch pattern that prevents fill from bunching.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 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

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Cite this Entry

“Phonies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phonies. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

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