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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of phony
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Smartly, these films don’t create a phony dichotomy between tender humans and cold machinery.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
Larae Quy, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
When top deepfake detectors only catch the phonies 75% of the time, according to reports, being vigilant against fraud is vital.
—Chris Westfall, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
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
His co-conspirators then used the phony data provided by Elkoussa to submit bills to the Health Resources and Services Administration, which at the time provided reimbursement for tests on uninsured patients, according to the indictment.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Smartly, these films don’t create a phony dichotomy between tender humans and cold machinery.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
Noun
The answer is important because being a phony is hard work.
—Larae Quy, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
When top deepfake detectors only catch the phonies 75% of the time, according to reports, being vigilant against fraud is vital.
—Chris Westfall, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
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
-
How tariff news fuels some scams The Better Business Bureau warned earlier this summer that some scammers are using fake excuses involving delays caused by tariffs to cover up fraudulent online orders.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
24 July 2025
-
Instead, the mysterious company started by a legislative aide under a fake name helped three people funnel more than $50,000 to two politicians and a top aide, federal prosecutors said.—
Craig Shoup,
The Tennessean,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
Global Office Furniture’s bogus invoices were used to calculate lower—and incorrect—duty rates.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
30 July 2025
-
Her bogus claim could have — and should have — been refuted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
But the whole beauty and focus of local government is that issues like quality schools or the disaster at the Tijuana River Estuary transcend and sometimes make meaningless party labels.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 July 2025
-
These include feeling emotionally numb or that life is meaningless; experiencing difficulty accepting the loss; and experiencing confusion over their own identity.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Manufacturers use these to track inventory and flag counterfeits.—
Boutayna Chokrane,
Wired News,
8 July 2025
-
But the errors on the alleged counterfeits aren’t the only reason that Levi’s believes PBG carried out its actions willfully and with knowledge.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
8 May 2025
Noun
-
The California high-speed rail project is a sham and should have been stopped many years ago.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
20 July 2025
-
Some ought to know better: The false and horrific accusation before the highly politicized International Criminal Court is a total sham.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
Verb
-
While the partnership is forging ahead and expects to break ground in 2027, the project still faces myriad challenges.—
Ella McCarthy,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
To this end, campaigners forged an equivalence between taking sugar and drinking human blood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
The leaders who rise—and the companies that outperform—will be those that refuse the false trade-off.—
Jack Zenger,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
Winfrey's spokesperson told Newsweek that these reports are false, and that the road will remain open as long as is necessary.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
This could certainly change if the Rockets land a certain French teenager in this year's draft lottery, but the first half of 2022-23 has assuaged some concerns about the long-term viability of a pseudo-twin-towers in the starting lineup with Jabari Smith flanked by Alperen Şengün.—
Michael Shapiro,
Chron,
15 Jan. 2023
-
In a code division scheme, each call is encoded in a random or pseudo-random sequencing, and receivers at the other end are equipped to decode their own calls.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Apr. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Phony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phony. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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