: not genuine : counterfeit, sham
a bogus claim
The evidence was completely bogus.
bogusly
adverb
bogusness
noun
Did you know?
Bogus Has a Long History
In the early 19th century, a "bogus" was a machine used to make counterfeit coins. No one knows for sure how this coin-copying contraption got its name, but before long bogus became a name for funny money or for a fraudulent imitation of any kind. The more common "phony" adjective followed.
Synonyms
Examples of bogus in a Sentence
It was just a bogus claim.
The evidence was completely bogus.
Recent Examples on the Web
In the Burrow case, the suspects allegedly carried bogus ID cards purportedly from Argentina and other countries, and bearing false names, according to the affidavit.
—
Bill Chappell, NPR, 11 Feb. 2025
The price of bitcoin spiked by more than $1,000 after the bogus tweet by the hackers on Jan. 9, 2024.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2025
Strauss sees the show, which follows Belle’s rise and fall after her lie is discovered, as a PSA about scammers in the wellness industry at a time when anti-vax sentiments and bogus COVID treatments became rampant at the height of the pandemic.
—Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025
Leavitt elevated a bogus claim spreading on social media that Politico and the Associated Press for years received millions of dollars from the US Agency for International Development, which President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have targeted by placing staff on leave.
—Liam Reilly, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bogus 
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Bill Chappell, NPR, 11 Feb. 2025
The price of bitcoin spiked by more than $1,000 after the bogus tweet by the hackers on Jan. 9, 2024.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2025
Strauss sees the show, which follows Belle’s rise and fall after her lie is discovered, as a PSA about scammers in the wellness industry at a time when anti-vax sentiments and bogus COVID treatments became rampant at the height of the pandemic.
—Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025
Leavitt elevated a bogus claim spreading on social media that Politico and the Associated Press for years received millions of dollars from the US Agency for International Development, which President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have targeted by placing staff on leave.
—Liam Reilly, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bogus
Dictionary Entries Near bogus
Cite this Entry
“Bogus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bogus. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bogus
adjective
bo·gus
ˈbō-gəs 
: not genuine : counterfeit, sham
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