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
Susan Tompor, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Authorities say phony reports divert first responders away from real emergencies, and that these hoax calls can spark fear and even be dangerous, since officers respond to the scene expecting to encounter a serious threat.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 26 Aug. 2025
Nick Caruso, TVLine, 10 July 2025
The movie lacks a lot of Shepherd’s biting sarcasm and cynicism, because this book does pine for the good old days while also pointing out how adults then, and now, are a bunch of phonies.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 18 June 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
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office has heard from scam victims who were prompted by someone impersonating an authority to transfer their money to protect it from various phony threats, according to Danny Wimmer, Nessel's press secretary.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Authorities say phony reports divert first responders away from real emergencies, and that these hoax calls can spark fear and even be dangerous, since officers respond to the scene expecting to encounter a serious threat.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
The second batch of players then play a comp to find the missing relic amid a sea of phonies.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 10 July 2025
The movie lacks a lot of Shepherd’s biting sarcasm and cynicism, because this book does pine for the good old days while also pointing out how adults then, and now, are a bunch of phonies.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 18 June 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
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Colbert made several jokes about needing a job and even brought a fake resume with a youthful headshot of himself.—
Rosa Escandon,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The Nepalese government, citing concerns over fake accounts, hate speech, disinformation and fraud, said the measures were to ensure accountability and make operators responsible for content on their platforms.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
College campuses across America are experiencing an epidemic of hoax calls about bogus shootings and other emergencies following the shooting death of Charlie Kirk this week.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
-
To me, more pragmatism means moving away from the corrupt, capricious policies of the current administration, such as crony capitalism that imposes bogus tariffs on free trade, punishing leaders and countries the president dislikes while favoring those who flatter him.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
For example, some parents may wonder if these behaviors are related to things like stimming (repetitive movement or sounds), echolalia (meaningless repetition of words), or self-regulation behaviors.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
8 Sep. 2025
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The story unfolds in three distinct chapters as the crisis goes up the chain of command, with each part of the film showing how all our systems and technology are ultimately meaningless in the face of such destructive power.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Marq Vision was cofounded in 2020 by Mark Lee, a former McKinsey consultant who holds a Doctor of Law from Harvard, to identify counterfeits in online listings using AI.—
Zinnia Lee,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The complaint shows a slew of products that Twenty One Pilots alleges are counterfeits bearing their trademarks.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Participants were randomized to receive either active HD-tDCS therapy (at a current of 2 mA) or sham therapy for 20 minutes every day for 12 consecutive working days.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Sep. 2025
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The quilt comes with two matching pillow shams for a unified look.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
It’s forged in small rituals, honest boundaries, supportive villages, and the grace to accept what can’t be controlled.—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Washington has so far thwarted Beijing’s ambitions to dominate the Indo-Pacific by forging alliances and partnerships in the region.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The false assurance was more than a slip.—
Eric Tucker,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Robinson, the founder of the now-defunct anti-immigration English Defence League (EDL), was released from prison earlier this year, having been jailed for being in contempt of court by repeating false accusations about a Syrian refugee.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Many of the individual works are stellar, but the theme is so baggy as to be meaningless, and the wall labels have a rote, pseudo-academic quality.—
Sebastian Smee,
Washington Post,
14 Mar. 2023
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If the tree happened to be on ancestral indigenous land, someone invented racist, pseudo-indigenous fictions to lend the tree an aura of romance.—
Verlyn Klinkenborg,
The New York Review of Books,
2 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Phony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phony. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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