pho·ny also pho·ney (f  n )adj. pho·ni·er, pho·ni·est 1. a. Not genuine or real; counterfeit: a phony credit card. b. False; spurious: a phony name. 2. Not honest or truthful; deceptive: a phony excuse. 3. a. Insincere or hypocritical. b. Giving a false impression of truth or authenticity; specious. n. pl. pho·nies also pho·neys 1. Something not genuine; a fake. 2. a. One who is insincere or pretentious. b. An impostor; a hypocrite. [Alteration of fawney, gilt brass ring used by swindlers, from Irish Gaelic fáinne, ring, from Old Irish.] pho ni·ly adv.pho ni·ness n. |
phony [ˈfəʊnɪ]
adj -nier, -niest
n pl -nies
a variant spelling (esp US) of phoney
phoniness n
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  phony - a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motivesbeguiler, cheater, deceiver, trickster, slicker, cheat - someone who leads you to believe something that is not true Tartufe, Tartuffe - a hypocrite who pretends to religious piety (after the protagonist in a play by Moliere) whited sepulcher, whited sepulchre - a person who is inwardly evil but outwardly professes to be virtuous |
| Adj. | 1. | phony - fraudulent; having a misleading appearance counterfeit, imitative - not genuine; imitating something superior; "counterfeit emotion"; "counterfeit money"; "counterfeit works of art"; "a counterfeit prince" |
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