humbug
Americannoun
-
something intended to delude or deceive.
- Synonyms:
- imposition
-
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.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
interjection
noun
-
a person or thing that tricks or deceives
-
nonsense; rubbish
-
a hard boiled sweet, usually flavoured with peppermint and often having a striped pattern
verb
Other Word Forms
- humbugger noun
- humbuggery noun
Etymology
Origin of humbug
First recorded in 1730–40; origin uncertain
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But nineteenth-century America was full of “humbug,” a word used for the types of entertainment popularized by renowned promoter P. T. Barnum.
From Literature
“He used these humbugs, as he called them, to create excitement and bring people in,” Wilson says.
Other times, the outcome is far more dire, like the pair of 2023 “bah humbug!” boots that were “Spirited” and “A Christmas Karen.”
From Salon
Kielty said he'll be spending three hours there, using a combination of cosmetics and prosthetic moulds to transform into the infamous green humbug.
From BBC
In a clever touch, Sphere lets us continue to see the monstrous green face, now neutered and ridiculous, mouth along as the panicked geek apologizes for being a humbug.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
