Definition

Faker than a three-dollar bill, more artificial than a participation trophy. Something that looks legit but is actually counterfeit, fraudulent, or just plain wrong.

Example Usage

The inspector declared the certification bogus after discovering the applicant had Photoshopped their credentials.

Source: Colloquial English, Merriam-Webster

Related Terms

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depletion

The exhaustion of a resource faster than it can naturally replenish itself, whether that's oil reserves, soil nutrients, or your marketing budget by mid-quarter. In accounting, it's the method for allocating the cost of extracting natural resources. Basically, fancy terminology for "we used it all up."

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Operating Lease

A lease treated as a rental agreement rather than an asset purchase, historically kept off the balance sheet in a beautiful accounting loophole. Airlines loved these for planes; retail loved them for stores.

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threshold

The point at which something begins to happen or have effect—the minimum viable amount before things change significantly. Cross it and there's no going back.

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debtor

A person or entity that owes money, making them the star of collection agencies' dreams and creditors' spreadsheets. In bankruptcy proceedings, they're the main character in a financial tragedy. Distinguished from a borrower by the implication that payment is overdue or the relationship has gone south.

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investing

The art of throwing your money at something and praying it multiplies like rabbits. Whether it's stocks, startups, or your uncle's 'sure thing,' investing means committing capital with the hope of future returns—and occasionally learning expensive lessons about market reality.

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waterfall payment

A hierarchy determining who gets paid first when money comes in, ensuring investors and executives eat before employees see a dime. It's trickle-down economics but explicitly documented.

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See “bogus” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

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