phony
1 of 2adjective/ˈfoʊni/
Forms:phonier,phoniest
1
not based on honesty or truth and intended to mislead others
- The phony psychic claimed to have special powers but was exposed as a fraud.
- The phony diploma from a diploma mill was quickly identified as fraudulent by the employer.
- The phony charity solicited donations for a cause that didn't exist, scamming well-meaning donors.
- The phony product claims of the infomercial were debunked by consumer watchdog groups.
- The phony news article spread false information, causing panic and confusion among readers.