phonies
word · lemma: phony
Definition
People who are not genuine or fake; they pretend to be something they are not, especially to deceive others.
Usage & Nuances
Informal, negative—used to criticize people for being fake or insincere. Common with 'total phonies,' 'bunch of phonies.' Avoid using it in formal writing. Different from 'fake' objects; refers to people.
Spanish: farsantes - impostores - falsos (personas)Portuguese (BR): falsos - impostores - farsantesPortuguese (PT): falsos - impostores - farsantesChinese (Simplified): 骗子（假装的人）- 虚伪的人Chinese (Traditional): 騙子（假裝的人）- 虛偽的人Hindi: नकली लोग - झूठे लोगArabic: المزيفون - المنافقون - المدعون
Example Sentences
She thinks her classmates are phonies who only care about money.
basic
I can’t stand phonies who lie to get attention.
basic
The club was full of phonies pretending to be rich.
basic
Don’t waste your time with those phonies; they’re not real friends anyway.
natural
You can spot the phonies at a party by how much they brag.
natural
After a while, you realize the media industry is full of phonies.
natural