phony-baloney

adjective

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

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.
The script is by David Koepp (writer of the best Mission: Impossible, the 1996 Brian De Palma iteration), and it’s filled with shimmery red herrings and liberal lashings of phony-baloney techno-spy stuff. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Phony-baloney.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phony-baloney. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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