variants
or phoney-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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The script is by David Koepp (writer of the best Mission: Impossible, the 1996 Brian De Palma iteration), and it’s filled with shimmery red herrings and liberal lashings of phony-baloney techno-spy stuff.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
The script is by David Koepp (writer of the best Mission: Impossible, the 1996 Brian De Palma iteration), and it’s filled with shimmery red herrings and liberal lashings of phony-baloney techno-spy stuff.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phony-baloney
Adjective
-
The difference between a real deadline, imposed for legitimate reasons from without, and a fake one, conjured from within, is like the difference between eating brunch and seeing it on Instagram.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Later, O’Brien touted a fake company tasked with reformatting movies for smaller and smaller handheld devices, but the joke missed the mark.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Authorities have arrested a suspect in the fatal double shooting that left two teenagers dead last Tuesday evening, according to city officials.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
In a rare confluence, Nowruz, the Persian new year, fell on the same day — making Friday a double holiday for many Iranians.—
Siham Shamalakh,
Washington Post,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But the Longhorns' all-time leader in assists and steals also knows that regional assignments are meaningless without first- and second-round wins.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Mar. 2026
-
There’s a heartwarming idiocy to their pursuit, yet what festers underneath is their inability to process grief consciously and the fear that those who deem their existence meaningless might be right.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This comes on top of earlier reports of some $364 million in phony SNAP payments under Healey.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Even when a growingly desperate Jacob seeks refuge in visionary rationalizations, Van Der Beek plays it with psychological veracity rather than frothing, phony divine madness.—
Bob Strauss,
San Francisco Chronicle,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The tech entrepreneur, who founded a fitness app and a financial management platform catering to young and wealthy customers, also characterizes Khanna’s stock trading as hypocritical since the congressman campaigns on easing inequality.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The permanent observer of the 22-nation Arab League, Maged Abdelaziz, suggested Israel was being hypocritical in justifying its military attack by saying it was intended to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.—
Edith M. Lederer,
Fortune,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
The pop of color offers a shimmer-free (rare!) means of warming up a wedding look and works equally well at lip level.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
For kayaks and stand-up paddle boarding, visit Nootka Kayak on Playa de las Anquines, an artificial beach that offers great conditions for both.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Last month, Musk’s SpaceX bought his artificial-intelligence company, xAI, which had previously acquired X.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
These smaller, superficial doses can help minimize the appearance of pores, reduce oiliness, soften fine lines, and create a smoother overall finish without freezing your facial movements.—
Jenny Jin,
Allure,
21 Mar. 2026
-
However, the issue is that these attributes have been flattened into something far more superficial and inaccurate, relationship experts warn.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phony-baloney.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phony-baloney. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
