phony as a three-dollar bill
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Extremely phony; fake; dishonest; completely bogus.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Though the film has some handsome, carefully staged action sequences, its machismo seems as phony as a three‐dollar bill.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “phony as a three-dollar bill” mean?
Extremely phony; fake; dishonest; completely bogus.
Is “phony as a three-dollar bill” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.