🇬🇧🇪🇸 phony - falso : English Lesson

Meaning of "phony" ("falso"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

"Phony" means something that looks real but actually isn’t, like a pretend diamond ring made of plastic, or someone acting friendly but not really meaning it. A phony thing tricks your eyes or your feelings by pretending to be the real thing.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

The dog gave my phony throw—you know, where you pretend to toss the ball—a look of pure betrayal.

My phone flashed a phony warning saying “LOW BATTERY,” but it had 98%, so now I don’t trust it anymore.

Dad tried to impress us with a phony magic trick and accidentally made his car keys disappear for real.

I used a phony British accent at dinner, and my mom asked when I moved to London without telling her.

The toy store had a wall of phony phones that light up and sing, but not one of them can call Grandma to ask for more cookies.

At the table a child tapped a phony phone, hoping for voices. The phony screen stayed dark; the phony bell made only plastic clicks. When a real phone rang, he held up the phony and shouted, "Call!" His mother laughed, swapped it for the real line, and he cheered, keeping the phony close.

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.