Synonyms of phony

phony 1 of 3

adjective

ˈfō-nē 

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

• fake
• counterfeit
• false
• forged
• synthetic
• bogus
• sham
• manufactured
• inauthentic
• simulated
• spurious
• mock
• snide
• unauthentic
• imitation
• dummy
• deceptive
• artificial
• queer
• fabricated
• ornamental
• factitious
• mimic
• substitute
• cultured
• misleading
• nonfunctioning
• delusive
• man-made

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• genuine
• authentic
• bona fide
• natural
• actual
• true
• unfaked
• valid

2

as in bogus

lacking in natural or spontaneous quality

she always has this phony smile just before she betrays you

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fake
• bogus
• pseudo
• mock
• contrived
• sham
• mechanical
• plastic
• artificial
• factitious
• spurious
• unnatural
• false
• simulated
• feigned
• strained
• cute
• assumed
• put-on
• forced
• affected
• pretended
• hollow
• insincere
• exaggerated
• manufactured
• unauthentic
• unreal
• hypocritical
• automatic
• unrealistic
• fabricated
• pat
• hokey
• canned
• theatrical
• theatric
• unctuous
• labored
• histrionic
• melodramatic
• facile
• wooden
• concocted
• mealy
• conventional
• empty
• impersonal
• stylized
• two-faced
• mincing
• deliberate
• mealymouthed
• conscious
• formal
• genteel
• premeditated
• simpering
• cutesy
• double-dealing
• artful
• rigid
• overacted
• overdone
• calculated
• cultivated
• stiff
• inflexible
• studied
• goody-goody
• left-handed
• overrefined

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• genuine
• real
• natural
• spontaneous
• authentic
• true
• realistic
• artless
• right
• unaffected
• bona fide
• sincere
• honest
• ingenuous
• unforced
• easy
• unfeigned
• uncontrived
• smooth
• effortless
• unconscious
• impromptu
• instinctive
• extemporaneous
• impulsive
• unpretending
• unrehearsed
• unstudied
• unprompted

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

• meaningless
• fake
• hollow
• strained
• superficial
• insincere
• unnatural
• artificial
• counterfeit
• hypocritical
• dishonest
• feigned
• double
• backhanded
• unctuous
• phony-baloney
• false
• phoney-baloney
• lip
• mealy
• pretended
• jive
• pious
• double-dealing
• two-faced
• mealymouthed
• double-faced
• contrived
• mechanical
• Janus-faced
• Pecksniffian
• simulated
• bogus
• deceitful
• left-handed
• assumed
• forced
• glib
• sham
• put-on
• untruthful
• affected
• claptrap
• devious
• empty
• facile
• sanctimonious
• facetious
• jocular
• campy
• tongue-in-cheek
• pharisaical
• canting
• self-righteous
• simon-pure

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• genuine
• sincere
• honest
• heartfelt
• artless
• candid
• unfeigned
• direct
• plain
• open
• frank
• forthright
• straightforward
• undesigning
• heart-to-heart

phony

2 of 3

noun

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

• counterfeit
• hoax
• fake
• sham
• forgery
• synthetic
• copy
• spoof
• replica
• bastard
• humbug
• knockoff
• copycat
• reproduction
• swindle
• facsimile
• simulation
• fraud
• dummy
• imposture
• shoddy
• gaff
• mock-up
• duffer
• brummagem

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• original

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

• fake
• sham
• imposter
• pretender
• faker
• impostor
• charlatan
• quack
• fraud
• counterfeiter
• mountebank
• deceiver
• actor
• ringer
• sharper
• operator
• hoaxer
• misleader
• fakir
• humbug
• skinner
• quacksalver
• copycat
• imitator
• impersonator
• dissembler
• mimic
• poseur
• duper
• swindler
• trickster
• scammer
• fraudster
• defrauder
• bluffer
• dodger
• feigner
• scamster
• sharpy
• sharpie
• cozener

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• master
• professional
• expert
• authority
• virtuoso
• past master
• ace
• wizard
• maestro
• whiz
• adept
• crackerjack
• crackajack

phony

3 of 3

verb

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

• fake
• counterfeit
• forge
• invent
• simulate
• manipulate
• duplicate
• replicate
• reproduce
• crib
• fabricate
• concoct
• cook (up)
• tamper (with)
• juggle
• plagiarize
• adulterate
• reduplicate
• doctor
• fudge

Examples of phony in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The pair had a phony work order on a clipboard and fake ID badges, prosecutors sad. —Patrick Smith, NBC News, 14 Oct. 2024

Using phony account-recovery notifications is a classic trick used by cybercriminals carrying out phishing attacks, Forbes points out. —Will McCurdy, PCMAG, 13 Oct. 2024

Noun

The Greek absurdist filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos is a phony. —Armond White, National Review, 21 June 2024

Heather mocks Eric as a phony who is fascinated by his own image; Andre speaks earnestly about wanting his band to be authentic. —Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker, 15 June 2024

Verb

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