phonies 1 of 2

noun

variants also phoneys
plural of phony
1
as in counterfeits
an imitation that is passed off as genuine the fancy "emerald" ring turned out to be a phony

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frauds
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise the person who performed the liposuction operation was later discovered to be a phony

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

phonies

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of phony
as in fakes
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

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 phonies
Noun
Just as Moby-Dick is canonically about whales, Catcher is canonically about phonies. — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026 At Dodger Stadium at the end of April, Crow-Amstrong also had to deal with the consequences of his actions — ripping Los Angeles Dodgers fans for being phonies in a Chicago magazine article that went viral. — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phonies
  1. counterfeits
  2. frauds
  3. fakes
  4. hoaxes
  5. pretenders
  6. forges
  7. copies
  8. shams
Noun
  • The European Commission previously said AliExpress breached its obligations under the DSA, which required it to diligently assess and mitigate the risks of counterfeits.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 22 July 2026
  • Masherah also emphasized keeping Jordan with Upper Deck provides collectors a safe place to acquire authenticated Jordan autographed memorabilia when there are so many fakes and counterfeits floating around.
    — Larry Holder, New York Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of counterfeits
Noun
  • Only once the Buffs emptied offensive coordinator Brennan Marion’s playbook, there was nothing left to fire at McGuire’s frauds.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026
  • In my phishing protection test, Avira successfully detected and defeated 100% of real-world phishing frauds.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of frauds
Verb
  • When Jeremy doesn’t succeed in killing her, Verity fakes her paralysis while using his time out of the house to bond with their son and write these letters.
    — Glamour, Glamour, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Seminole fakes the extra point kick and Luis Ojeda-Robles runs the ball in for the two point conversion.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of fakes
Noun
  • Schools banned its use, and journalists were shamed for credulously repeating its hoaxes.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says those threats were likely swatting hoaxes.
    — WCCO Staff, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of hoaxes
Noun
  • The schedule is forgivable, even by ACC standards, but a rematch on the road against Notre Dame will separate the Canes as contenders or pretenders.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
  • Now, hardship seems to be an end in itself, a battle scar or badge of honor that distinguishes true backpackers from mere pretenders.
    — Tim Brinkhof, Time, 4 May 2026
Definition of pretenders
Verb
  • Sutskever is the moral center of the film and grows increasingly uncomfortable as Altman forges ahead with complicated AI models that have learned how to lie, willfully ignoring risks.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The Librarians, which premiered at Sundance in early 2025 and broadcast on PBS in early 2026, has been years in the making, but the battle at its core still forges on.
    — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of forges
Noun
  • Smith also explained what would happen if a legal challenge ultimately failed, including continuity arrangements with European partners and backup copies of Microsoft’s code held in Switzerland.
    — Margot Edelman, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Lizzo gave away copies of her book to students in kindergarten through third grade at the school.
    — Leondra Head, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of copies
Noun
  • These sheets and shams are made from Oexo-Tex Certified Organic microfiber material that’s light but surprisingly resilient.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Plus, the set comes with two shams to complete your sanctuary.
    — Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of shams

Browse Nearby Words

phonied
phonies
phoning
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Cite this Entry

“Phonies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phonies. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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