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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spurious
If lawmakers can alter this contract for spurious reasons, why not mortgages or car loans?
—
Jay Neveloff, New York Daily News, 11 June 2025
Jax, an artist who photographed the event, offered a totally different, spurious backstory for swaggotry.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 25 June 2025
Today, spurious depictions of South Africa as an anti-white hellscape swim in the same waters.
—Time, 9 June 2025
First simply keeping Paul from her, lawyer Laurent then gets the courts involved, filing spurious allegations of the ugliest kind in a successful bid to get her custody suspended entirely.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurious
Jay Neveloff, New York Daily News, 11 June 2025
Jax, an artist who photographed the event, offered a totally different, spurious backstory for swaggotry.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 25 June 2025
Today, spurious depictions of South Africa as an anti-white hellscape swim in the same waters.
—Time, 9 June 2025
First simply keeping Paul from her, lawyer Laurent then gets the courts involved, filing spurious allegations of the ugliest kind in a successful bid to get her custody suspended entirely.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurious
Adjective
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Enrico Ronquillo, 37, was indicted for using a counterfeit driver’s license and a birth certificate – both from California – to impersonate a U.S. citizen from May 11 to 14, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska said in a June 16 news release.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
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Another respondent described neighbors overdosing on counterfeit Chinese drugs.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration report said that driver also made a false report related to hours of service.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 July 2025
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His claims are false and do not reflect accountability for the impact of his actions on the community.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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Trump’s comments came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against U.N. official Francesca Albanese, accusing her of pushing illegitimate efforts at the International Criminal Court targeting U.S. and Israeli leaders.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
9 July 2025
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And then, on top of it, I was born out of some affair like some illegitimate, sinful mistake?—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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There’s a massive global scam operation that uses real payment methods on fake checkout pages.—
Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
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Additional increases in the quantity and quality of weapons sent to Ukraine would underpin that message and would have a better chance than anything else of persuading Putin to replace fake negotiations with the real thing.—
The Editors,
National Review,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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While some can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and concerns, many are created with specific consumers and their needs in mind.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
7 July 2025
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His footwork and instincts at third base are unnatural regardless of the maximum effort Chisholm Jr. has put into playing the position.—
Wayne G. McDonnell,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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At a bond hearing in Chicago immigration court on Tuesday, Judge Carla Espinoza set Morales Reyes' bond at $7,500 after the court and Department of Homeland Security had time to review the evidence about the forged threatening letters.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
10 June 2025
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Her plea agreement includes admissions to submitting fraudulent escrow disbursement requests to the escrow company, one of which included a forged client signature, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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In a recent mock draft, Baseball America speculated the Sox would select Florida State left-hander Jamie Arnold if the run on prep shortstops left him on the board.—
Phil Rogers,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
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Ali had ceased looking towards the horizon long before the luminous blue of it became a mock memory.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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But not Hochman, whose strained diplomacy has raised eyebrows.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 July 2025
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The story of Mbappe’s move to the Bernabeu last summer and his strained relations with PSG could fill several tomes, given the intensity of Madrid’s almost decade-long pursuit of the forward — and the fallout continues to this day.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spurious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurious. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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