spurious

adjective

ˈspyu̇r-ē-əs How to pronounce spurious (audio)
Definition of spuriousnext
1
as in counterfeit
being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud a spurious Picasso painting that wouldn't have fooled an art expert for a second

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in false
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality claimed that the governor's election-year enthusiasm for conservation was spurious, since he had cut funding for state parks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in illegitimate
born to a father and mother who are not married the spurious son of Charles II, the Duke of Monmouth would later mount a rebellion in a disastrous attempt to claim the throne

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of spurious Now that same leader can be felled by an Instagram pile-on or a spurious Substack rumor, and is likelier to shy from the long, slow, gritty work of governance. — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 Though the top judge later clarified that his remarks related only to individuals with spurious degrees and not India’s youth in general, the remarks kicked up a social media storm—which fueled thousands of sign-ups on CJP’s website, taking even Dipke by surprise. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 May 2026 The most common objection is that tenants will game the system — filing spurious claims to pocket money or harass landlords. — Cole Hanson, Twin Cities, 10 May 2026 These efforts apparently relied on a mix of sock-puppet accounts across social media platforms, which promoted the spurious claims of vilifying websites. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spurious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurious
  1. counterfeit
  2. false
  3. illegitimate
  4. fake
  5. mock
  6. forged
  7. unnatural
  8. strained
Adjective
  • In February, detectives received a tip that counterfeit goods were being stored and sold from a home on the 3100 block of Northwest 81st Terrace, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said in an arrest affidavit.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Families typically will have no way of knowing what materials are inside counterfeit products.
    — Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of counterfeit
Adjective
  • Another false dawn was Manchester City’s bright start in a 2-0 win over Chelsea, without the man who had just been named player of the tournament at Euro 2024, Rodri.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In turn, Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios filed a defamation suit, which claimed Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, had planted false claims in order to take over creative control of the film.
    — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of false
Adjective
  • The researchers suspect that others were created by AI that either hallucinated or, just like the AI agents browsing their file, couldn’t distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate instructions.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Internet discussions portrayed the SPLC as a politically motivated or illegitimate actor.
    — Art Jipson, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of illegitimate
Adjective
  • When the Followers began, healthcare on the Western frontier was primitive, unsanitary and riddled with con artists peddling fake cures.
    — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
  • One is the behavior Mythos engaged in, which included spinning up fake GitHub accounts, and, in at least one case, impersonating a real software developer, to try to convince Demir to drop his objections to the dangerous code.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • The outfit consisted of a sleeveless, mock-neck blouse in mocha-brown, tucked into a tawny suede skirt that hit just above her ankles.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Mirroring the look of King’s footwear, Osaka sported a metallic silver pleated top with a mock neckline and no sleeves.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of mock
Adjective
  • Last month’s board election was tainted by forged ballots, including one with a voter’s name misspelled.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • She was additionally found guilty of insurance fraud for taking out a $100,000 insurance policy on her husband's life with his forged signature and for submitting a claim following his death.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 May 2026
Definition of forged
Adjective
  • Her parents refuse to see that there is something unnatural about their new baby boy and that an evil other presence haunts their stately home.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The researchers say the approach could help overcome limitations of existing humanoid control systems, which often require extensive fine-tuning or produce rigid, unnatural movements.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of unnatural
Adjective
  • Some are dealing with strained budgets and exorbitant medical bills, while others avoid the doctor in fear of the cost.
    — Ali Swenson, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Based on a Naver Webtoon of the same name that has amassed almost 3 billion views, the 10-part series follows the strained relationship of the Empress Navier and her husband Emperor Sovieshu.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of strained

Browse Nearby Words

spur
spurious
spuriousness
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Cite this Entry

“Spurious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurious. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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