phony

☆ phony (fō′nē)

adjective -·nier, -·ni·est

Informal not genuine; false, counterfeit, spurious, pretentious, etc.

Etymology: altered < Brit thieves' argot fawney, gilt ring (passed off as gold by swindlers) < Ir fáinne

noun pl. -·nies

something not genuine; sham; fake
a person who is not what he or she pretends to be; one who deceives, dissembles, is insincere, etc.; fraud

pho′·ni·ness noun

modif.

Adjective modifier

big: We, the biggest phonies in the business, love sincerity.
unchallenged: David Webb, for example, says: " An unchallenged phony is a potential not an actual source of equity loss.
fat: Personally I think it's Heston and not Moore who is the big fat phony.

Modifies a noun

plansgeorgetown: Pursue phony plansgeorgetown we group quot long term health care insurance florida model is an.
war: These complexities account for the feeling of " phony war " this week.
insurance: From actual benefits expected or minimum phony insurance collect.
health: Decline in medicaid lowered medicaid use from the three of phony health.
target: Pursue phony plansgeorgetown target and comparison the federal poverty be able to.
name: A wonderfully phony name - sounds like a Sixties heartthrob pop singer.

Modifying Another Word

totally: Obviously that's a totally phony account: The man invented the whole story.

Used with adjective complement

seem: TODHUNTER has an air of cool that seems slightly phony.

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