abracadabra
1
9.3
- noun
- /ˌæbrəˈkædəbərə/
:
palabrería incomprensible
- To me, his explanation was nothing but abracadabra, filled with jargon that made no sense.
Examples
-
During the discussion, he kept throwing in comments that were pure abracadabra and added nothing to the topic.
-
The abracadabra nonsense is a bust.
Fiction book (1996) -
You, sir, are the abracadabra.
-
So stop your abracadabra rubbish.
Blog text (17) -
The author draws the conclusion that no one but a lawyer, or someone who worked with a lawyer, could have picked up so much abracadabra legal terminology.
Academic text (2011) -
We close the bank, we stop the rubber checks, we raise the prices in the barber shop, we stop fixing parking tickets, and abracadabra!
Fiction book (1992) -
The different definitions of money—M0, M1, and so on, up to M4—are abracadabra to most people.
Academic text (2001) -
The instructions he provided were just abracadabra, leaving everyone confused and unsure about what to do.
Synonyms
578
2.5
Words or ideas that do not make sense
45
7.2
Speech or writing that does not make sense
21
8.3
Confusing talk that hides the truth or tries to impress people
11
8.4
Talk that is foolish and has little meaning
9
9.9
Confusing speech or writing full of technical words that most people cannot understand
5
9.3
Words or ideas that sound important but have little real meaning
1
9.1
Boring talk that has no useful meaning
Language full of long hard words used to seem clever
Unclear, complicated ideas that are hard to understand and not practical
How Nonsensical
Surface Forms
Etymology
Abracadabra was once used as a real magic charm to cure people and was often written on a piece of paper and worn as an amulet. Because it sounded strange and mysterious, people later used abracadabra for any confusing or meaningless talk, so it can mean 'nonsense' today.