variants
also phoney
1
as in counterfeit
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 mock
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 fake
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 hoax
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 fraud
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
Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
This comes on top of earlier reports of some $364 million in phony SNAP payments under Healey.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Which, of course, is what happens on newspapers and that’s why all these things sound so phoney.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
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
The phony cops bound the two museum guards on duty and then moved leisurely through the museum, battering and slashing some of the world’s most recognizable art from walls and frames.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
This comes on top of earlier reports of some $364 million in phony SNAP payments under Healey.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
In retaliation, Sir Jimmy outs Kelson as a phony with a fatal stab to the gut, though that’s not enough to save his own life.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Which, of course, is what happens on newspapers and that’s why all these things sound so phoney.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
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
-
In October, the DEA Los Angeles Field Division found 628,000 pills containing carfentanil, while in September, officials seized more than 50,000 counterfeit M30 pills from a person at a gas station in Washington state that turned out to be a mixture of carfentanil and acetaminophen.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Prosecutors say Gonzalez-Moy used a counterfeit key and a cordless drill to open the ATM.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In 1985, a mock trial was held in Jerusalem against Mengele, and Spiegel was called as a witness.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The mock neck, cap sleeves, and gold hardware cinching the waist give it a polished, elevated look that could easily pass for something much pricier.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg last week accused Meta of failing to remove imposter accounts that Bragg said pose as organizations like Catholic Charities to offer fake immigration services that scam money from unsuspecting victims.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Brooke Sutton / Getty Images The pair allegedly used fake personal financial and bank statements, driver's licenses, and Secretary of State documents in an attempt to trick lenders into believing that the loans were for companies owned by the players.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
17 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
-
Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager with California Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog, said in an email Friday that heavy reliance on outside vendors can increase the risk of fraud or mismanagement if oversight is weak.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
DeviantArt’s Protect feature uses state-of-the-art image recognition to help safeguard creators’ work against unauthorized use, and the platform employs a dedicated team to investigate and mitigate the impact from spam, scams, fraud, and other bad actors.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
All writers must forge their own language and liberate themselves in this way.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Infleqtion has also forged partnerships with artificial intelligence chip darling Nvidia .—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For me, the possible false note lay not in Aramayo’s performance but in the script.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Local police too, have stated that false posts circulating in WhatsApp groups, including claims of worker deaths and exaggerated reports of violence and arrests, have contributed to the escalation of unrest.—
Mayu Saini,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Rumors about the family's dynamic played out for months until Brooklyn posted a series of posts confirming the strained relationship.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The move follows several recent meetups in areas such as Navy Yard, where large groups of teens have flooded streets and strained police resources.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phony. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
