forgery

noun

forg·​ery ˈfȯrj-rē How to pronounce forgery (audio)
ˈfȯr-jə-
plural forgeries
1
archaic : invention
2
: something forged
3
: an act of forging
especially : the crime of falsely and fraudulently making or altering a document (such as a check)

Examples of forgery in a Sentence

that is a cheap forgery, not an authentic Ming Dynasty vase
Recent Examples on the Web Charges include fraud, conspiracy, computer tampering, illegally conducting an enterprise, money laundering and forgery related to the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program. Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024 Yolanda Cheers, who is also known as Yolanda Brown, pleaded no contest to felony grand theft by embezzlement in late January, in a deal that saw the dismissal of about a dozen other forgery, identity theft and other embezzlement charges, court records show. Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 But a new advanced analysis has revealed that the fossil is largely a forgery. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024 Delivered by Lord Anthony Grabiner, the defense’s opening argument did not address the specific allegations of forgery. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 5 Feb. 2024 That said, Voynich’s interest in shrouding the manuscript in mystery is sometimes seen as a sign that the text is a modern forgery, its illustrious owners being nothing more than mere invention. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024 Eight men earlier accused of running an elaborate armed robbery ring that targeted Milwaukee-area mail carriers now face additional charges of forgery, racketeering and money laundering. Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2024 Meta, Google, Microsoft, and other tech companies are also developing technology designed to spot AI forgeries in what is becoming a high-stakes AI arms race. Will Knight, WIRED, 15 Feb. 2024 In December 2023, Lamont pled guilty to one count of forgery and one count of defrauding the public above $5,000, and he was sentenced to five years in prison. Jordan Michael Smith, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forgery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

forge entry 2 + -ery

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of forgery was in 1583

Dictionary Entries Near forgery

Cite this Entry

“Forgery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forgery. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

forgery

noun
forg·​ery ˈfōrj-(ə-)rē How to pronounce forgery (audio)
ˈfȯrj-
plural forgeries
1
: something (as a signature) that has been forged
2
: the crime of falsely making or changing a written paper or signing someone else's name

Legal Definition

forgery

noun
forg·​ery
plural forgeries
1
: the act of falsely making, altering, or imitating (as a document or signature) with intent to defraud
also : the crime of committing such an act
2
: something that is forged

More from Merriam-Webster on forgery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!