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Phony vs Liar - What's the difference?

phony | liar |

As nouns the difference between phony and liar

is that phony is a person who assumes an identity or quality other than their own while liar is one who tells lies.

As an adjective phony

is fraudulent; fake; having a misleading appearance.

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

    liar

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who tells lies.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=15 citation , passage=She paused and took a defiant breath. ‘If you don't believe me, I can't help it. But I'm not a liar .’ ¶ ‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough!

    Anagrams

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