Bogus
easyNegative toneBOH-gus
adjective
Definition
Not genuine or true; fake
Memory hook
BO-GUS: sounds like 'no-good' — fake, fraudulent, not genuine.
Examples
“The company was shut down for selling bogus medications.”
“His bogus credentials were eventually discovered.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The company was shut down for selling ______ medications.”
Show answer
bogus
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Bogus is a easy-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "counterfeit" or "spurious" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "genuine".
Related GRE Words
counterfeit
Made in imitation with intent to deceive; forged; fake
spurious
Not genuine; false or fake
fraudulent
Obtained, done by, or involving deception; dishonest
specious
Superficially plausible but actually wrong; misleading
apocryphal
Of doubtful authenticity; widely circulated but probably untrue
erroneous
Wrong; incorrect; based on error
Master bogus and 1,000+ GRE words
Learn through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.