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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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 They may be based on a hunch, on data, on many hours of in-depth viewing and scouting, on some spurious AI nonsense, on something a guy in the pub told us. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 7 June 2026 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 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
  • The Indianapolis seizure follows other recent interceptions of counterfeit watches.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • There was a modest 5% rise in counterfeit sports cards, yet a 125% increase in fake Pokémon cards.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of counterfeit
Adjective
  • Screening mammograms miss about one in eight breast cancers overall, and people with dense breasts are more likely to get false-negative results, the American Cancer Society reports.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Overall, screening mammograms miss about one in eight breast cancers, and people with dense breasts are more likely to get false-negative results.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of false
Adjective
  • An adult child can claim authority over the meaning of a life without proving that everything inherited is therefore illegitimate.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Saman admitted to purchasing much of his inventory from brokers or middlemen, which the department identified as illegitimate distributors of the brands.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of illegitimate
Adjective
  • When Lee gets to the visitation window, there’s a fake Mekko sitting across from him.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The fake image was attention-grabbing, shady, and timely — in other words, perfect for social media virality but a potential liability for the parties involved.
    — Mia Sato, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • Instead, the beleaguered quarterback continues to slide down mock draft boards as the season matures.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Testing sensors on canisters During the INL demonstration, researchers installed optical fibers outside a mock nuclear fuel canister and tested several arrangements to measure acoustic vibrations.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 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
  • Some movements feel unnatural, facial expressions are exaggerated, and small details occasionally fall into the uncanny valley or break rules of logical consistency.
    — Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
  • But closer examination reveals that OpenAI’s proof builds its unnatural force in a totally distinct way.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of unnatural
Adjective
  • Rice could return in the coming week after suffering a strained hamstring.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
  • As an 'artificial friend' purchased for an ailing teen, Jenna Ortega tries hard to illuminate this misbegotten Kazuo Ishiguro adaptation, but Waititi's decision to play it for strained, whimsical comedy is ruinous.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of strained

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spurious
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Cite this Entry

“Spurious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurious. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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