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bunkum

bunkum

1 9.9
Talk that is false and meant to fool or impress people
  • noun
  • /ˈbʌŋkəm/
translation icon : palabrería vacía
  • And second, even as a non-scientist, non-expert layperson who studied literature and theology, I can understand enough to appreciate that Ham's scientific claims are pure bunkum.

Examples

  • Daddy says the Bible is a load of bunkum.

  • Of course, we tend to look at all astrology as bunkum, designed to make people part with their hard-earned cash.

    Blog text (27)
  • Pure bunkum if it was.

    Blog text (22)
  • To that, I just muttered "bunkum."

    Blog text (17)
  • Daddy says the Bible's a load of bunkum!

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Tired of having to listen to plagiarized bunkum masquerading as an English speech?

    Blog text (4)
  • This was mostly bunkum.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Good heavens, surely you're not silly enough to believe all that silly old legend, about the pirates and treasure and all that bunkum?

  • Bunkum and bosh!

  • She dismissed his claims as nothing more than bunkum, meant to impress the audience.

Synonyms

nonsense
vsbunkum
578 2.5

Words or ideas that do not make sense

adds the sense that such talk may try to mislead or impress
trash
vsbunkum
  • Slang
102 3.1

Words or writing that have no value

is stronger when the worthless language aims to mislead or impress
rubbish
vsbunkum
  • UK
49 2.5

Talk or writing that is not true and not useful

is used when such worthless talk is also meant to mislead people
baloney
vsbunkum
  • Informal
48 7.5

Talk that is not true or is silly

stresses a purpose to deceive or impress beyond mere foolishness
bunk
vsbunkum
  • Informal
22 6.7

Nonsense talk that is not true

adds that the foolish talk is often used to deceive or impress
mumbo jumbo
vsbunkum
  • Informal
21 8.3

Confusing talk that hides the truth or tries to impress people

aligns closely but the key often implies deliberate deceit or show
hogwash
vsbunkum
  • Informal
16 7.4

Untrue or silly talk that people should not believe

often carries an extra idea of deliberate show or deception
malarkey
vsbunkum
  • Informal
13 8.8

Talk that is not true and tries to trick people

adds a stronger sense of deliberate deception or showmanship
poppycock
vsbunkum
  • Informal
10 9.9

Silly talk that is not true

is used when those absurdities aim to mislead or create an effect
guff
vsbunkum
  • UK
9 8.4

Silly or untrue talk that is not serious

is more critical when words are used to deceive or show off
gobbledygook
vsbunkum
  • Informal
9 9.9

Confusing speech or writing full of technical words that most people cannot understand

is used when the confusion is meant to impress or hide truth
rot
vsbunkum
  • Archaic
9 7.4

Foolish or untrue talk people should not believe

highlights when such talk is used to deceive or create an impression
hokum
vsbunkum
  • US
5 9.3

Nonsense ideas or stories that are not true

is used when words are meant to mislead or to make a show
balderdash
vsbunkum
  • Informal
3 8.9

Silly talk or ideas that are not true

is used more when the talk is meant to fool or impress
empty words
vsbunkum
3 5.1

Talk that has no real meaning and is not useful

is more linked to insincere or deceptive intention behind those words
stuff and nonsense
vsbunkum
  • Informal
1 6.6

Silly talk that is not true or useful

adds that the same talk may be used to mislead or impress others
flimflam
vsbunkum
  • Archaic
1 9.6

Talk that tries to trick people with false statements

is similar but the key also covers insincere show, not only tricking
empty talk
vsbunkum
1 4.3

Words that sound important but have no real meaning or action

is more often used when words aim to deceive or impress
buncombe
vsbunkum
  • US
1 9.9

False statements meant to trick people

matches closely but the key is a more common modern term
nothing but nonsense
vsbunkum
  • Informal
1 6.0

Things people say that are completely untrue or pointless

adds the idea that such claims may aim to mislead or impress
bunch of bullbleep
vsbunkum
  • Offensive
9.9

Talk that is false and hard to believe

is more formal when accusing words of aiming to mislead others
nothing but tripe
vsbunkum
  • Informal
9.5

Words or ideas that are complete nonsense and worthless

emphasizes that such worthless speech may try to fool listeners
full of bogosity
vsbunkum
  • Slang
9.9

Containing many false or silly statements that are hard to believe

focuses more on words meant to deceive or create an effect
pure bullsheet
vsbunkum
  • NSFW
9.9

False talk meant to trick people

is stronger in implying deliberate deception or impressive show
all bulldung
vsbunkum
  • Australian
9.9

Talk that is false and makes no sense

is more likely used when the nonsense aims to mislead or impress

Antonyms

1.0

A fact that shows how things really are

71 3.1

A feeling of being honest and not pretending

How Nonsensical

nonsense
578 2.5
bunkum
1 9.9
balderdash
  • Informal
3 8.9
drivel
36 7.7
rubbish
  • UK
49 2.5

Surface Forms

bunkum singular
bunkums plural

Etymology

The word bunkum comes from a place name, Buncombe County in the United States. A congressman there once gave long, empty speeches to please his local voters, and people began calling that kind of 'speech' 'bunkum', so today bunkum means 'nonsense' or 'empty talk'.