Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bona fide contrast with its synonyms?

The words authentic and genuine are common synonyms of bona fide. While all three words mean "being actually and exactly what is claimed," bona fide implies good faith and sincerity of intention.

a bona fide offer for the stock

When is authentic a more appropriate choice than bona fide?

The meanings of authentic and bona fide largely overlap; however, authentic implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact; it can also stress painstaking or faithful imitation of an original.

an authentic account of the perilous journey
an authentic reproduction
authentic Vietnamese cuisine

When could genuine be used to replace bona fide?

The synonyms genuine and bona fide are sometimes interchangeable, but genuine implies actual character not counterfeited, imitated, or adulterated; it also connotes definite origin from a source.

genuine piety
genuine maple syrup
a genuine Mark Twain autograph

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bona fide By then, Vila, despite his meager paycheck, was a bona fide star. Mark Gray, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025 And Europe does not want to alienate the leader of a country that underpins its security when the outcome of a major war is unclear and when Russia is its bona fide adversary. Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025 But there’s also no doubting his enduring status as a bona fide entertainer brimming with showmanship. Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 10 Aug. 2025 Thomas became the first WNBA player to record three straight triple-doubles after dismantling the Indiana Fever, highlighting her bona fide MVP credentials. Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bona fide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bona fide
Adjective
  • Be reflective about your authentic style.
    Essence, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Believe in your authentic value, in your own development—don't let trends unsettle you.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Early in the novel, Harold points out that authors are constantly looking for ways to bury their true beliefs in their text, rather than state them outright.
    Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Like many Stephen King stories, the truest horrors are the ones that exist in reality.
    James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Simmons is a shell of his former self as a playmaker and was never able to develop a jump shot to at least keep defenses honest.
    Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
  • And being honest about that helped build long-term trust.
    Greg Peters, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Meeting these expectations has put real strain on automotive retail, challenging dealers to know when to rely on intelligent tools—and when to step in with human expertise.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The final debut group will be selected through real-time global voting during the live broadcast.
    Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Algorithmic Literacy requires genuine technical comprehension of AI capabilities, constraints, and ethical implications.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • But despite a certain staginess, and a tendency for the plot to suddenly stop to make way for the acting, Hedda is actually a genuine attempt to mine something new from the old text, a compelling fusion of Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn and Stephen Fry’s Bright Young Things.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The original sketch ran in October 2023, when Bargatze first hosted of the long-running sketch show.
    Rosa Escandon, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • By 1880, Jenkins had taken over Moffat’s operation entirely, selling the original business’s stock of Hallet & Davis pianos and Estey organs.
    Sarah Biegelsen, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • One of the latest episode on his YouTube channel SciShow is all about knitting, and how science is elevating the lowly craft to a place of actual importance.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
  • That the engagement news is more important than the actual wedding.
    Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Upon completion, Southwest Golf Ranch will boast a total of 27 heated, covered driving range bays, over two acres of bent-grass range, professional swing-analysis technology, a professional shop offering club-fitting services, group camps and clinics with certified golf instructors and more.
    Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 10 Sep. 2025
  • That can be done through a process server, law enforcement, a friend or relative or certified mail.
    Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bona fide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bona%20fide. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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