phony
All smoke, no substance
Phony describes something fake or fraudulent—a person, thing, or quality that pretends to be what it isn't.
A phony smile masks true feelings.
A phony accent is put on.
As a noun, a phony is an insincere person or an impostor: He's a complete phony.
The spelling phoney is also used.
That diploma looked phony to me.
One feigning another's identity
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- fakerOne who pretends
- pretenderIllegitimate claimant to power
deceiver · trickster · conman · swindler · grifter · huckster · quack · mountebank
Fraudulent imitation
- shamFraudulent imitation
- bogusCounterfeit or fraudulent
- spuriousFalse though appearing genuine
- fabricatedInvented, not real
forged · pseudo · ersatz · inauthentic · feigned · simulated · mock · faux
Feigning ignorance or innocence
- two-facedInsincere and deceptive
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
- deceitfulInclined to mislead others
untruthful · falsehearted · dissembling · affected · hollow · superficial · plastic · glib
Deceptive outward appearance
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
- guiseExternal manner shown
- actDeed or performance
pose · front · show · affectation · posturing · bluff · playacting · feigning
impostor
One feigning another's identity
pretender · deceiver · trickster · conman · swindler · grifter · huckster · quack · mountebank · flimflammer
counterfeit
Fraudulent imitation
fabricated · forged · pseudo · ersatz · inauthentic · feigned · simulated · mock · faux · fraudulent
disingenuous
Feigning ignorance or innocence
- two-facedInsincere and deceptive
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
deceitful · untruthful · falsehearted · dissembling · affected · hollow · superficial · plastic · glib · slick
facade
Deceptive outward appearance
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
- guiseExternal manner shown
act · pose · front · show · affectation · posturing · bluff · playacting · feigning · disguise
hoax
Deliberate deception for effect
ruse · trick · scheme · hustle · racket · flimflam · subterfuge · artifice · dodge · ploy
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- fakefake, bogus, sham, counterfeit, imitation
- falsifiedfalsified, doctored, fabricated, fake, faked
- smooth talkerssmooth talker, smooth-talker, sweet talker, sweet-talker, fast talker
- fraudscam, fraud, swindle, con, deceive
- fraud termslying, cheating, scam, fake, con
phonyexpert
Highly skilled practitioner
master · virtuoso · professional · genuine article · real deal
- phone callRemote voice conversation
- phone numberNumeric calling address
- cell phonePortable wireless communicator
- phone bookListing of local numbers
- phone boothEnclosed public telephone station
- pick up the phoneAccept an incoming call
phone, telephone, phones, phoniness, phonies, phony-baloney, phonier, phoniest