also phony
(~s)
1.
If you describe something as ~, you disapprove of it because it is false rather than genuine. (INFORMAL)
He’d telephoned with some ~ excuse she didn’t believe for a minute...
ADJ disapproval
2.
If you say that someone is ~, you disapprove of them because they are pretending to be someone that they are not in order to deceive people. (INFORMAL)
He looks totally ~ to me.
ADJ disapproval
•
Phoney is also a noun.
‘He’s false, a ~,’ Harry muttered.
N-COUNT