humbug
something intended to delude or deceive.
the quality of falseness or deception.
a person who is not what they claim or pretend to be; impostor.
something devoid of sense or meaning; nonsense: a humbug of technical jargon.
British. a variety of hard mint candy.
to impose upon by humbug or false pretense; delude; deceive.
to practice deception or falseness.
(used as an expletive to express rejection of something as being completely untrue or nonsensical.)
Origin of humbug
1Other words for humbug
Other words from humbug
- hum·bug·ger, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use humbug in a sentence
At first sight it seems disheartening to find that physicians are so easily humbugged.
This is logical and we cannot blame the manufacturers so long as the medical profession is willing to be humbugged.
This nostrum is simply another example of how physicians are being humbugged.
When Mr. Mole addressed his pupil as "sir," young Jack knew pretty well that he thought he was being humbugged.
Jack Harkaway and His Son's Escape From the Brigand's of Greece | Bracebridge HemyngOne hates being humbugged, and it makes one doubt whether our generals know their business.
A Girl of the Commune | George Alfred Henty
British Dictionary definitions for humbug
/ (ˈhʌmˌbʌɡ) /
a person or thing that tricks or deceives
nonsense; rubbish
British a hard boiled sweet, usually flavoured with peppermint and often having a striped pattern
to cheat or deceive (someone)
Origin of humbug
1Derived forms of humbug
- humbugger, noun
- humbuggery, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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