bogus

adjective

bo·​gus ˈbō-gəs How to pronounce bogus (audio)
: not genuine : counterfeit, sham
a bogus claim
The evidence was completely bogus.
bogusly adverb
bogusness noun

Did you know?

Bogus Has a Long History

In the early 19th century, a "bogus" was a machine used to make counterfeit coins. No one knows for sure how this coin-copying contraption got its name, but before long bogus became a name for funny money or for a fraudulent imitation of any kind. The more common "phony" adjective followed.

Examples of bogus in a Sentence

It was just a bogus claim. The evidence was completely bogus.
Recent Examples on the Web But Johnson quickly concluded that the claims were impossible to prove, if not demonstrably bogus. David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 In the early 2000s, the U.S. declassified what turned out to be bogus intelligence about Saddam Hussein’s weapons-of-mass-destruction program to justify the invasion of Iraq. TIME, 29 Feb. 2024 Two directors — one florid, one discrete — typified Paramount in peak form: the authentically Viennese but bogus aristocrat Josef von Sternberg and the brilliant comedian of manners, Ernst Lubitsch. Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Feb. 2024 The bogus Microsoft employees provided her with their names and company IDs, treated her with kindness and professionalism, and assured her that her safety was their top priority. Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 28 Feb. 2024 Over 200 South Floridians have been charged with defrauding the program, submitting hundreds of millions of dollars in applications deemed bogus by federal prosecutors. Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2024 About six years ago, Nada was puzzled to see a blizzard of bogus articles on blogs and in publications that linked him to terrorism or political Islam. David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2024 Warnings about bogus ticket sales cropped up all season for Detroit Lions games, as the team built on grit generated more and more excitement. Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 18 Jan. 2024 Get the facts and figures before signing up for something bogus. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bogus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

obsolete argot bogus counterfeit money

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bogus was in 1825

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Dictionary Entries Near bogus

Cite this Entry

“Bogus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bogus. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bogus

adjective
bo·​gus ˈbō-gəs How to pronounce bogus (audio)
: not genuine : counterfeit, sham

More from Merriam-Webster on bogus

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