# bogus

/ˈboʊɡəs/ (US) · /bˈəʊɡəs/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bogus
Updated: 2026-05-04

## Definition

not real or true; fake. You use this word when something is clearly a lie or not genuine.

For teachers: not genuine, valid, or true; false or fraudulent. Informal in register; common in North American English.

## Examples

- That excuse sounds completely bogus to me.
- The company issued a bogus invoice to cover up the missing funds.
- Skeptics dismissed the study's findings as bogus, pointing out that the sample size was too small to support such broad conclusions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.