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Imposter vs Phony - What's the difference?

imposter | phony |

As nouns the difference between imposter and phony

is that imposter is someone who attempts to deceive by using an assumed name or identity or other devious disguise while phony is a person who assumes an identity or quality other than their own.

As an adjective phony is

fraudulent; fake; having a misleading appearance.

imposter

English

Alternative forms

* impostor

Noun

(en noun)
  • Someone who attempts to deceive by using an assumed name or identity or other devious disguise.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Anagrams

    *

    phony

    English

    Alternative forms

    * phoney

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Fraudulent; fake; having a misleading appearance.
    • A good jeweler should be able to tell a real stone from a phony one.

    Synonyms

    * (fraudulent) bogus, counterfeit, fake * See also

    Antonyms

    * authentic * genuine

    Derived terms

    * phoniness * phoneyness

    Noun

    (phonies)
  • A person who assumes an identity or quality other than their own.
    • He claims to be a doctor, but he's nothing but a fast-talking phony .
  • A person who professes beliefs or opinions that they do not hold.
    • He's such a phony , he doesn't believe half of what he says.

    Synonyms

    * (faker) dissembler, pretender, fake, faker

    Derived terms

    * phony up, phoney up * Phony War, Phoney War