mummery
- noun
- /ˈmʌməri/
- Archaic
:
farsa
- The new queen loves pageantry, songs, dances, and mummery.
Examples
-
He therefore dismissed Christianity as "a sad piece of mummery."
Academic text (2018) -
What does it say about a culture that it kills what it claims to respect for the sake of mummery?
Blog text (20) -
There seemed to be some kind of mummery, some kind of expressive dance, taking place at the altar.
Fiction book (1997) -
I cannot allow myself the mummery of fabrication and equivocation.
Academic text (2001) -
No more mummery.
-
The small businessmen who typically led other orders fed their own class illusions with "mummery."
Academic text (1995) -
Many viewed the lavish celebration as mere mummery, full of empty gestures and insincerity.
-
His speech was criticized as nothing more than mummery, lacking real substance or meaning.
-
The traditional performances were seen by some as mummery, emphasizing style over genuine intent.
Synonyms
21
8.3
Confusing talk that hides the truth or tries to impress people
21
7.6
A grand, showy display meant to impress people
1
9.9
Empty praise and ceremony that try to impress without real value
Giving too much importance to ceremonies and formal actions in worship
Giving great importance to formal public events and rituals
Antonyms
How Pretentious
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word mummery comes from old masked actors called mummers who put on costume plays and mock ceremonies in the streets. So, mummery now means a showy or meaningless ceremony that is more 'pretend' than real.