phony-baloney

adjective

pho·​ny-ba·​lo·​ney ˈfō-nē-bə-ˈlō-nē How to pronounce phony-baloney (audio)
variants or phoney-baloney
Synonyms of phony-baloneynext

Examples of phony-baloney in a Sentence

if you believe the company's phony-baloney press releases, it's in business solely for the benefit of mankind
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Namely, their own phony-baloney, six-figure jobs. Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of phony-baloney was in 1936

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Phony-baloney.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phony-baloney. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster