: 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.
Synonyms
Examples of bogus in a Sentence
It was just a bogus claim.
The evidence was completely bogus.
Recent Examples on the Web
In the last few days, the intelligence agencies have issued further public notifications that—presumably as part of the same scheme—Russia was behind bogus videos falsely depicting someone in Pennsylvania ripping up ballots and Haitians illegally voting in Georgia.
—
The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Trump and his allies have also continued to repeat the lie that the former president won in 2020, a bogus claim amplified in right-wing media that led to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
—Hadas Gold, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024
The fourth largest county in the nation, Maricopa became ground zero for election denial conspiracists in recent years, after GOP lawmakers sanctioned a bogus recount in 2021, run by the Florida company Cyber Ninjas.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024
Promoting bogus investment opportunities in cryptocurrencies as well as in the gas or oil sector.
—Alex Vakulov, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bogus 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Trump and his allies have also continued to repeat the lie that the former president won in 2020, a bogus claim amplified in right-wing media that led to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
—Hadas Gold, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024
The fourth largest county in the nation, Maricopa became ground zero for election denial conspiracists in recent years, after GOP lawmakers sanctioned a bogus recount in 2021, run by the Florida company Cyber Ninjas.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024
Promoting bogus investment opportunities in cryptocurrencies as well as in the gas or oil sector.
—Alex Vakulov, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bogus
Dictionary Entries Near bogus
Cite this Entry
“Bogus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bogus. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bogus
adjective
bo·gus
ˈbō-gəs 
: not genuine : counterfeit, sham
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share