2
general::
false
not real, but intended to seem real and deceive people:
• He uses a false name.
fake
made to look or seem like something else, especially something worth a lot more money:
• fake fur • a fake Rolex watch • fake designer goods • a fake $100 bill
forged
a forged official document or bank note has been illegally made to look like a real one:
• a forged passport • a forged £50 note
counterfeit
counterfeit money or goods have been illegally made to look exactly like something else:
• How do you detect counterfeit currency? • counterfeit drugs
imitation
made to look real – used especially about guns, bombs etc or about materials:
• The two men used an imitation firearm to carry out the robbery. • imitation leather/silk/silver
phoney/phony
disapproving informal false – used when you think someone is deliberately trying to deceive people:
• She put on a phoney New York accent. • The doctors were accused of supplying phoney medical certificates. • There’s something phoney about him. • phony advertisements
spurious
false and giving a wrong impression about someone or something:
• spurious claims • That’s a spurious argument. • The company was trying to get some spurious respectability by using our name.
Longman-Thesaurus
3
general::
adj. not true, genuine or real VERBS be, look, prove, sound ADV. absolutely, completely, entirely, quite, totally, utterly The gossip about her later proved to be entirely false. | partly | certainly, definitely | blatantly, clearly, obviously, patently, undoubtedly Their claim was patently false. PHRASES true or false Lagos is the capital of Nigeria. True or false? not showing your true feelings VERBS be, ring, sound Ella's enthusiasm rang false. ADV. horribly, very She managed a horribly false smile. | slightly Helen's voice sounded slightly false.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary