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View synonyms for humbug

humbug

[ huhm-buhg ]

noun

  1. something intended to delude or deceive.

    Synonyms: imposition

  2. the quality of falseness or deception.

    Synonyms: sham, pretense

  3. a person who is not what they claim or pretend to be; impostor.

    Synonyms: swindler, deceiver, confidence man, quack, charlatan, pretender

  4. something devoid of sense or meaning; nonsense:

    a humbug of technical jargon.

  5. British. a variety of hard mint candy.


verb (used with object)

, hum·bugged, hum·bug·ging.
  1. to impose upon by humbug or false pretense; delude; deceive.

    Synonyms: dupe, fool, trick, swindle, cheat

verb (used without object)

, hum·bugged, hum·bug·ging.
  1. to practice deception or falseness.

interjection

  1. (used as an expletive to express rejection of something as being completely untrue or nonsensical.)

humbug

/ ˈhʌmˌbʌɡ /

noun

  1. a person or thing that tricks or deceives
  2. nonsense; rubbish
  3. a hard boiled sweet, usually flavoured with peppermint and often having a striped pattern


verb

  1. to cheat or deceive (someone)

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Derived Forms

  • ˈhumˌbugger, noun
  • ˈhumˌbuggery, noun

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Other Words From

  • hum·bug·ger noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of humbug1

First recorded in 1730–40; origin uncertain

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Word History and Origins

Origin of humbug1

C18: of unknown origin

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Example Sentences

In the press, there were months of ridicule, with one politician describing it as “one of the greatest humbugs, frauds, and absurdities ever known.”

Only a humbug would complain about this “Alice in Wonderland” like befuddlement.

There is, inevitably, a lot of self-serving humbug and a lot of tedious pap.

No one outside Limbaughland or Trumpville, Potemkin villages where no one will vote for Obama anyway, credited the humbug.

We all bow to the seor, and I wonder if he is really the private secretary, or a private humbug, waiting around to ensnare us.

Did the manufacturers of Alleotone feel downcast over the exposure of their humbug?

In brief, Dowds scientific method is nothing more than unscientific humbug.

You will find him in these pages, just the same humbug Wizard as before.

"The Wizard of Oz has always been a humbug," agreed Dorothy.

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