bogus
Other forms: bogusly
Bogus means fake. A bogus dollar bill is counterfeit, a bogus Picasso was not painted by him, and a bogus attempt at reconciliation would come from someone who never intended to end a fight.
The word bogus originated in the U.S. It was coined as a name for a machine that printed counterfeit money and later became a trademark term among California surfers. In surfer speak, "totally bogus, dude" would describe any unfortunate situation.
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fraudulent; having a misleading appearance
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Vocabulary lists containing bogus
From insincere displays of emotion to falsely labeled products to outright lies, there are unfortunately a lot of ways to be dishonest or fake. For more synonym lists, explore our Say What You Mean resources.
Whether or not you're practiced in the art of deception, learn these words related to tricks, traps and illusions. Read the full article: Seeing Through the Lexicon of Smoke and Mirrors Day