bogus

UK: /ˈbəʊgəs/ US: /ˈboʊgəs/ ,(bō′gəs)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

bo•gus /ˈboʊgəs/   adj. 

1. false;
   counterfeit;
   phony:
   The thief gave a bogus address.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

bo•gus  (bō′gəs), adj. 

1. not genuine;
   counterfeit;
   spurious;
   sham.

n. 

2. 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.

• 1825–30, American; origin, originally an apparatus for coining false money; perh. akin to bogy¹

Synonyms

• 1. fraudulent, pseudo, fake, phony.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bogus / ˈbəʊɡəs/ adjective

1. spurious or counterfeit; not genuine

Etymology: 19th Century: from bogus apparatus for making counterfeit money; perhaps related to bogey¹

ˈbogusly adverb

ˈbogusness noun