The difference between Phony and Pretender
When used as nouns, phony means a person who assumes an identity or quality other than their own, whereas pretender means a person who professes beliefs and opinions that they do not hold.
Phony is also adjective with the meaning: fraudulent.
check bellow for the other definitions of Phony and Pretender
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Phony as an adjective:
Fraudulent; fake; having a misleading appearance.
Examples:
"A good jeweler should be able to tell a real stone from a phony one."
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Phony as a noun:
A person who assumes an identity or quality other than their own.
Examples:
"He claims to be a doctor, but he's nothing but a fast-talking phony."
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Phony as a noun:
A person who professes beliefs or opinions that they do not hold.
Examples:
"He's such a phony, he doesn't believe half of what he says."
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Pretender as a noun:
A person who professes beliefs and opinions that they do not hold.
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Pretender as a noun:
A claimant to an abolished or already occupied throne.