adj
bogus
BOH-guhs
adj
1
Fake or counterfeit; not genuine.
"The company was selling bogus designer handbags."
"His excuse for being late sounded completely bogus."
2
Informal: annoying, unfair, or disappointing.
"It's totally bogus that the concert got canceled."
How to Use Bogus
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFake, not real, or (informally) just plain unfair or lame.
Common pairings
bogus claim
bogus excuse
totally bogus
Word Forms
more bogus comparative, Boguses plural, most bogus superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “bogus”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The company was selling _____ designer handbags.
Etymology
First recorded in 19th-century America as underworld slang for a device used to make counterfeit coins, later broadening to mean anything fake or of poor quality.