1
as in counterfeit
being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud
a spurious Picasso painting that wouldn't have fooled an art expert for a second
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in false
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
claimed that the governor's election-year enthusiasm for conservation was spurious, since he had cut funding for state parks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in illegitimate
born to a father and mother who are not married
the spurious son of Charles II, the Duke of Monmouth would later mount a rebellion in a disastrous attempt to claim the throne
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spurious
Claims of being able to nail down an exact date and time are spurious and carry with them a huge amount of uncertainty.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Congress could also impose penalties for spurious contract award disputes, which have become commonplace as a business strategy, as such disputes open the possibility that losing companies can compete again for the contract.
—Michael Brown, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
He’s been bad-mouthing wind power for over a decade, often relying on similarly spurious claims.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 22 Apr. 2025
Although the argument seems spurious at first, given SNAP’s name, the program was only renamed in 2008.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurious
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Congress could also impose penalties for spurious contract award disputes, which have become commonplace as a business strategy, as such disputes open the possibility that losing companies can compete again for the contract.
—Michael Brown, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
He’s been bad-mouthing wind power for over a decade, often relying on similarly spurious claims.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 22 Apr. 2025
Although the argument seems spurious at first, given SNAP’s name, the program was only renamed in 2008.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurious
Adjective
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The Comité records all transactions, track the movement, manages the reserve and protects the appellation against counterfeit products.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
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In 2024, the DEA seized more than 60 million counterfeit pills and nearly 8,000 pounds of fentanyl powder nationwide — enough to deliver more than 380 million lethal doses.—
Mark Michalek,
Denver Post,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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This was a false charge by the Bush administration, as the United Nations’ inspectors on the ground in Iraq tried to communicate to Bush, and as his intelligence agencies tried to tell him.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
24 June 2025
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But an investigation resulted in an astonishing call from the other side of the world, which revealed that ‘The GPO Girl’ was, in fact, a 25-year-old Australian, who has created more than 100 false identities.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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For years, Putin claimed that direct talks with Ukraine were impossible because President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government was illegitimate and, more important, Ukraine wasn’t a real country—merely a proxy for the American imperial project.—
Andrew Ryvkin,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2025
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Putin has insisted that Ukraine must replace its leadership through elections, describing Zelensky's rule as illegitimate.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Already, misinformation campaigns and fake news challenge our ability to discern truth.—
Sahar Hashmi,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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Avoiding secondary scams Marilyn’s story also highlights a second danger of fake support numbers and remote access scams.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Because the bear started seeking out an unnatural food source, it was euthanized for safety reasons, officials said.—
Helena Wegner,
Idaho Statesman,
27 June 2025
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For too long, sunscreen hasn’t worked for melanin-rich skin—leaving behind white casts, greasy residue, or an unnatural gray tint.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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At a bond hearing in Chicago immigration court on Tuesday, Judge Carla Espinoza set Morales Reyes' bond at $7,500 after the court and Department of Homeland Security had time to review the evidence about the forged threatening letters.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
10 June 2025
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Her plea agreement includes admissions to submitting fraudulent escrow disbursement requests to the escrow company, one of which included a forged client signature, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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Most analysts agree that Michael Misa, C, will be the No. 2 overall selection, but from pick No. 3 onward, mock drafts diverge sharply.—
Giovanni Malloy,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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Undersized at 6-foot-2, but a strong and explosive 215 pounds, Martin’s role in the Gators’ national championship success along with strong workouts for NBA teams placed him in the second round of many mock drafts.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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The earliest use cases have shown up where human labor is most strained and speed is a competitive edge, support desks, sales pipelines, email inboxes and even the marketing office where agentic marketplaces like Enso offer an entire team’s worth of agentic replacements.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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Tehran's densely populated urban centers and strained infrastructure make the city especially vulnerable to continued attacks, heightening fear and instability.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spurious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurious. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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