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
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Recent Examples of phony
Andy Andersen, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Victims are shown manipulated dashboards or phony returns to entice them to deposit more.
—Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 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
See, the way Ray figures it, Rick heard about Ray and Manny’s phony DEA operation in prison and facilitated a setup.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Victims are shown manipulated dashboards or phony returns to entice them to deposit more.
—Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 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
-
This fake news is being spread by France’s enemies, both abroad and at home.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
12 May 2025
-
YouTube has further cracked down on fake movie trailer channels.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
While many experts have deemed the lawsuit to be bogus, CBS parent Paramount Global has begun discussing a settlement, especially as company chair Shari Redstone looks to complete a merger with Skydance Media — a deal that will require signoff from Carr’s FCC.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN Money,
15 May 2025
-
Co-conspirators then helped the clients prepare false federal income tax returns that fraudulently deducted the bogus business expenses, which federal authorities said were just payments to the company.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
And yet, in certain ways, the film doesn’t go as deep as Orwell’s observations; its choice of illustrative material generally hews to contemporary party lines, even while showcasing wise words that render such distinctions all but meaningless.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
-
Passion projects are paused indefinitely, tasks feel meaningless, and things at work that used to make sense now just seem pointless.—
Lindsay Kohler,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Noun
-
The 516 counterfeit watches emulated brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier and others.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
8 May 2025
-
The products in the TikTok videos could also be high-quality dupes and counterfeits, which Lululemon has previously tried to combat.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The set features an all-over stitched diamond pattern with neatly finished edges, curved corners, and matching shams for a cohesive look.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Your order wouldn’t be complete without matching shams.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Trump could be the right leader to forge compromise.—
J. Tedford Tyler,
Time,
17 May 2025
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Reflecting on their experience in Houston, the Aluminum Narwhals cherished the competition, forging new connections, making quick decisions, and strengthening team bonds.—
Claire Lin And Kyle Vu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Now their weird discomfort with disease—and their outré views on cancer in particular—is being refracted through a sea of false, indecent speculations.—
Benjamin Mazer,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2025
-
The temperature of online discourse can often provide a false reading of a fanbase’s opinion on a manager or a team.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
19 May 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
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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 24 May. 2025.
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