humbug

noun
UK: /ˈhʌm.bʌɡ/
US: /ˈhʌm.bʌɡ/

  1. Something said or done to deceive people; nonsense.

    1. Don't believe his stories, it's all humbug.
    2. The politician's promises turned out to be nothing but empty humbug.

  2. A person who is not honest or sincere.

    1. He's a real humbug, always trying to cheat people.
    2. I knew he was a humbug the moment he tried to sell me that broken watch.

Synonyms

fake nonsense deception fraud impostor sham
humbug verb

  1. To deceive or trick someone.

    1. He tried to humbug me into buying a fake painting.
    2. Don't let him humbug you with his fancy words and false promises.
humbug adjective

  1. Dishonest or deceptive.

    1. That's a humbug argument.
    2. His humbug claims were quickly disproven by the evidence.
humbug interjection

  1. An exclamation of disbelief or disagreement.

    1. Humbug! I don't believe a word of it.
    2. "We'll finish on time", he said. Humbug! We were nowhere near completion.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "humbug" in English means: Something said or done to deceive people; nonsense., A person who is not honest or sincere..

The phonetic transcription of "humbug" is /ˈhʌm.bʌɡ/ in British English and /ˈhʌm.bʌɡ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "humbug": fake, nonsense, deception, fraud, impostor, sham.

Example usage of "humbug": "Don't believe his stories, it's all humbug.". More examples on the page.