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

However, security researchers reported that bad actors use the tool to carry out phishing scams by creating phony website landing pages or notices that trick users into divulging personal information. —Emma Roth, The Verge, 6 Sep. 2024

The room appeared to have been dressed up as a faux courtroom with a judge’s bench, an American flag and rows of apparently phony law books behind him. —Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 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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