bogus

[ boh-guhs ]

adjective

1. not genuine; counterfeit; spurious; sham.

   Synonyms: phony, fake, pseudo, fraudulent

noun

1. Printing, Journalism. matter set, by union requirement, by a compositor and later discarded, duplicating the text of an advertisement for which a plate has been supplied or type set by another publisher.

bogus

/ ˈbəʊɡəs /

adjective

1. spurious or counterfeit; not genuine

   a bogus note

Derived Forms

• ˈbogusly, adverb
• ˈbogusness, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bogus¹

1825–30, Americanism; originally an apparatus for coining false money; perhaps akin to bogy ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of bogus¹

C19: from bogus apparatus for making counterfeit money; perhaps related to bogey ¹

Example Sentences

To that end, we need to understand why the Democrats lost and that starts with putting aside all the bogus explanations for the debacle.

From Salon

With the vast machinery of the Justice Department at his disposal, Gaetz could create a living hell for everyone against whom Trump holds a grudge, subjecting them to arrest and pretrial detention, even if the bogus charges later fizzle out in the court.

From Slate

Let’s stop right here in our celebration of Veterans Day and discuss this wholly invented and utterly bogus issue of the “woke” military.

From Salon

Among those honoured are PC Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes, who were killed in an ambush responding to a bogus 999 call in September 2012.

From BBC

On its website, McAfee offers a set of tips for identifying probable deepfakes, avoiding election-related scams and not spreading bogus media.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fake
• false
• fictitious
• forged
• fraudulent
• phony
• sham
• spurious