Phoniness - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Definition:
The quality of being fake, insincere, or not genuine.
Synonyms:
insincerity, falseness, pretense, artificiality
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
sincerity, authenticity
Common Collocations:
detect phoniness, sense of phoniness, mask of phoniness
Derivatives:
phony (adj), phonily (adv)
Usage Tips:
Use "phoniness" to describe behavior or attitudes that seem dishonest or lacking genuine emotion.
Common Phrases:
"phony baloney, " "put on a front, " "all show and no substance"
Etymology:
Derived from "phony" (early 20th c.), possibly from "fawney" (fake gold ring used in scams).
Examples:
- 1. Her constant flattery reeked of phoniness.
- 2. He saw through the politician’s phoniness immediately.
- 3. The movie criticized the phoniness of social media influencers.
- 4. She disliked the phoniness of overly polite small talk.