PHONY-BALONEY Synonyms: 70 Similar and Opposite Words

phony-baloney

adjective

ˈfō-nē-bə-ˈlō-nē

variants or phoney-baloney

Definition of phony-baloney

as in fake

not being or expressing what one appears to be or express if you believe the company's phony-baloney press releases, it's in business solely for the benefit of mankind

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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-baloney Namely, their own phony-baloney, six-figure jobs. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for phony-baloney

Adjective

But if Rodgers and Newton are right about fake vaccination cards being a thing around the NFL at the time, there was apparently much bamboozling being done by a number of people.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
As bait, the researchers created a fake startup, Ballena Azul, which pretended to focus on decentralized finance for large holders of cryptocurrency, which North Koreans have been known to target to fund the country’s regime.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of fake

Adjective

When Debbie, Susan, and Thom come over for a double-date pizza night, only Bret is concerned about the spate of recent home invasions, the missing pets, and the desecration of the griffin mascot.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
Jorge Polanco, who snapped an 0-for-26 streak in the third inning with just his second homer of the season, keyed the rally with a two-out double off the left-field wall.

— Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of double

Adjective

Jared Sternberg, founder of Gondwana Ecotours, argues that comparing Alaska to Phoenix is meaningless.

— Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Sure, Thursday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame game between the Panthers and Arizona Cardinals was nothing more than a meaningless exhibition in which few, if any, actual starters played.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of meaningless

Adjective

Like, for instance, Loughlin, who paid Singer $500,000 to concoct fake row team credentials — and even stage phony rowing photos — to get her two daughters into USC.

— Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
Some scammers attempt to trick people using phony authentication methods.

— Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of phony

Adjective

Some players cited the league’s partnerships with sports betting companies as hypocritical or even laying the foundation for this sort of scandal.

— Zack Meisel, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Amendments placed on the ballot by lawmakers would still need only a statewide majority — a distinction critics call hypocritical.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026

Definition of hypocritical

Adjective

Likewise, lip masks designed to be worn overnight can provide improved hydration and comfort over daytime treatments.

— Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tatianna points to cinnamon as a conductor of heat—one commonly used in lip plumper products to achieve a sultry pout.

— Essence, Essence, 23 Nov. 2025

Definition of lip

Adjective

As per the team, the material can be used in soft robots, artificial muscles, wearables, and other shape-changing devices.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Doctors for decades have used scalpels to perform cataract surgery, which involves removing the cataract and replacing the cloudy natural lens with a clear artificial one.

— Phil Galewitz, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of artificial

Adjective

The teen's father also has a superficial wound on his hands and has been taken to a hospital, Bradshaw said.

— Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Ultimately, giving employees back their time through initiatives like four-day workweeks is becoming the ultimate luxury, reflecting a shift towards truly valuing employee well-being over superficial office fun.

— Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of superficial

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phony

phony-baloney

phonying

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“Phony-baloney.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phony-baloney. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of phony-baloney

adjective

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