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
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Relevance
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2
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
she always has this phony smile just before she betrays you
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Phony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phony. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.
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