Synonyms for

Bogus

Verb / ˈbəʊgʌs / Another word for bogus — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

not genuine or true; fake or false

Synonyms & similar words

bastard phoney phony fake fake false phony counterfeit fraudulent imitation spurious unauthentic dummy sham hoax deceitful misleading untrue artificial simulated feigned pretend

Synonyms by register

Formal

spurious counterfeit fallacious unauthentic

Informal

fake phony sham dodgy lame

Literary

apocryphal mendacious counterfeit

Antonyms

genuine real authentic legitimate true valid actual

Common collocations

  • bogus claim
  • bogus argument
  • bogus degree
  • bogus story
  • bogus excuse
  • bogus charges
  • bogus product

Word family

adjective bogus
adverb bogusly

Usage note

Bogus is primarily an adjective meaning not genuine or real. It is often used informally to describe something that is fake or a sham.

Example sentences

  1. The detective found out that the painting was bogus.
  2. The company promised a refund for the bogus product.
  3. The magician's trick was revealed to be bogus.
  4. The student's excuse for being absent was found to be bogus.
  5. The website was shut down for selling bogus merchandise.

Quotes

  • All these bogus promises of reform: I don't believe in any of them.
  • The truth is sometimes a poor competitor in the market place of ideas - complicated, unsatisfying, full of dilemmas, always vulnerable to misinterpretation and abuse.
  • It's a bogus, contrived rivalry and it's totally media-generated.

Try these popular words

the and that for you with was this are have not from

Practice

Play the Word Synonyms game · Choose level (start near 1)

Worksheets

Grade 4 · Grade 5 · Grade 6

Topics

Guides

Explore more words