Skip to main content

phonynot genuine; fake or fraudulent

Part of speech: ADJECTIVE

Definition: not genuine; fake or fraudulent

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈfoʊni/

Korean meaning: 가짜의, 거짓의

Korean pronunciation: **포**니

Example Sentences

  • The phony designer bag fell apart after one week.
  • His phony British accent fooled no one at the party.
  • She gave me a phony phone number and disappeared.

phony

ADJECTIVE

//ˈfoʊni//

not genuine; fake or fraudulent

phony concept
💡 Concept

a shifty vendor holds up a luxury handbag that looks expensive but has crooked stitching and cheap materials. The vendor tries to convince a cautious female shopper that it's authentic designer quality. The customer examines the bag closely and notices the poor craftsmanship and flimsy hardware. Her expression changes from interest to suspicion as she realizes something is wrong. Other shoppers nearby shake their heads and walk away from the stall. A genuine leather goods vendor at the next stall displays clearly superior quality items. something that is not genuine but fake and fraudulent

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈfoʊni/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈfəʊni/

🌳Etymology

Origin

From early 1900s American slang, derived from 'fawney' - a con game where criminals sold gold-plated rings as real gold. The word evolved from this specific scam to mean anything fake or fraudulent.

🎵Rhyme

tonybonypony
tony
bony
pony

🔗Collocations

phony smile
phony excuse
phony documents
sound phony
phony accent
phony friend

📝Examples

The phony designer bag fell apart after one week.

😄 Fun example

His phony British accent fooled no one at the party.

She gave me a phony phone number and disappeared.

😄 Fun example

The phony fortune teller predicted I would meet a tall, dark stranger... my own shadow.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

fakefalsefraudulentboguscounterfeit

Antonyms

genuineauthenticreal

Related

artificialpretendshamimitation

Want to master 19,000+ words?

Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.