1
as in counterfeit
being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud
a spurious Picasso painting that wouldn't have fooled an art expert for a second
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in false
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
claimed that the governor's election-year enthusiasm for conservation was spurious, since he had cut funding for state parks
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in illegitimate
born to a father and mother who are not married
the spurious son of Charles II, the Duke of Monmouth would later mount a rebellion in a disastrous attempt to claim the throne
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spurious
In May 2024, Cairo joined South Africa in its spurious legal case at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of war crimes—without any evidence.
—
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
The arguments on the pro-bulk-billing side were spurious or overblown, and the MTE [multiple tenant environments] access rules have broad, bipartisan support, as well as a lot of industry support.
—Ars Technica, 27 Jan. 2025
They stiff-arm congressional subpoenas or demands for information with spurious claims of state secrets, executive privilege or unwritten tradition.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
But other times, insurance companies deny claims after inadequate investigations or for spurious reasons.
—Jay Feinman, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurious
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
The arguments on the pro-bulk-billing side were spurious or overblown, and the MTE [multiple tenant environments] access rules have broad, bipartisan support, as well as a lot of industry support.
—Ars Technica, 27 Jan. 2025
They stiff-arm congressional subpoenas or demands for information with spurious claims of state secrets, executive privilege or unwritten tradition.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
But other times, insurance companies deny claims after inadequate investigations or for spurious reasons.
—Jay Feinman, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurious
Adjective
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On May 6, 2022, Yusuf sold counterfeit blue M30 Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to Murray and her boyfriend in a Taco Bell parking lot in Folsom, according to the District Attorney’s Office.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacramento Bee,
22 Mar. 2025
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Tatum starred as Shawn MacArthur, a small-time street hustler who sells counterfeit wares before being recruited to make money by participating in amateur street fights.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Fowler played more of a false nine and dropped deeper to stitch the play together, combining well with Jill Roord.—
Charlotte Harpur,
The Athletic,
20 Mar. 2025
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The pivotal addition to the the state Civil Code reads: Existing law provides that libel is a false and unprivileged written publication that injures the reputation and that slander is a false and unprivileged publication, orally uttered, that injures the reputation, as specified.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, an early Jewish polemic claimed that Jesus was the illegitimate son of a Roman soldier nicknamed Panther—perhaps employing a tasteless but pointed pun on the Greek word parthenos (virgin).—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2025
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Ukraine and its Western allies have condemned those referendums, held in 2022, as illegitimate.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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At times, these characters surrounded by the green and gold blur of jungle and sunshine almost look fake, or as if they’re being shot in a studio.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
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Connecting Japanese fans with all MLB players, teams Justin Turner #3 of the Chicago Cubs poses with young fans who wear fake beard prior to the game against Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome on March 16, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.—
Ian Thomas,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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To such animals, friendship is utterly unnatural, entirely a product of will.—
Ann Hulbert,
Harper's Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
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The phrase has been heard more and more this century as states reveal themselves to be less than resilient in the face of natural and unnatural disasters.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The outlet stated that prosecutor Cray explained how the suspect had used a forged license to purchase a gun and 100 cartridges for around $843 (£650) from a private seller.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
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She was charged with misdemeanor identity theft and criminal possession of a forged instrument, later pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count.—
Katie Langford,
The Denver Post,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This is the version (1.0) version of his mock draft, and there could easily be revisions made necessary by trades, medical history and players rising and falling.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2025
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Widely considered the top receiver in the draft, many mock drafts have had the Cowboys selecting the Southern California native at No. 12.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The conference illuminated the increasingly strained relationship between Israel and its traditional allies in the West, which have grown uneasy with Israeli politics and the direction of the country’s devastating war in Gaza.—
Julia Frankel and Leo Correa,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Customer calls have surged, the Washington Post reported Tuesday, prompting long wait times for callers dialing into strained offices, where employees have few answers to give on recent changes.—
Avery Lotz,
Axios,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spurious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurious. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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