phony

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“
When Rush Limbaugh called a phony soldier a phony, the media frenzy was nearly instantaneous.

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Definitions (13)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (8)

  1. adjective Not genuine or real; counterfeit: a phony credit card.
  2. adjective False; spurious: a phony name.
  3. adjective Not honest or truthful; deceptive: a phony excuse.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (1)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (40)

  • ♫ We'll survive, side by side, Mother Nature don’t you call her phony, she’s my Clonie. —  Nellie McKay sings "Clonie"
  • She has shown herself to be an ignorant phony, and you're right - Bugs Bunny would probably be a more likely president than her. —  WordPress.com News
  • Justice Department spokeswoman Gina Talamona called the phony e-mail a security test. —  The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com
  • Everyone who watches or reads the news will hear David Cameron call Brown a phony, and most will agree with it. —  TD Blog
  • One problem: the initial check was phony, and by the time your bank notifies you, your money is long gone and you're on the hook for the counterfeit check. —  ClearysNoteBook
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Related

Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

bogus ·  fake ·  valid ·  false ·  counterfeit ·  spurious ·  self-serving ·  only ·  macho ·  fraudulent ·  authentic ·  pretentious
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Alteration of fawney, gilt brass ring used by swindlers, from Irish Gaelic fáinne, ring, from Old Irish.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. phone + -y.
 

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/ˈfoʊni/
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