unrepresentative swill
- noun
- Informal
:
información engañosa
- Analysts warned that the statistics were unrepresentative swill and should not be taken at face value.
Examples
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Much of what you read online these days amounts to unrepresentative swill rather than factual reporting.
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The report was filled with unrepresentative swill that misled the public.
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The politician dismissed the criticism as mere unrepresentative swill spread by his opponents.
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Don't believe that unrepresentative swill from the media!
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Experts claimed that the article was full of unrepresentative swill that misrepresented the facts.
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Many headlines today publish unrepresentative swill that distorts the real story behind the events.
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The survey results were labeled as unrepresentative swill because they did not reflect the views of the majority.
Synonyms
63
4.6
Information that is wrong and shared by mistake
16
7.4
Untrue or silly talk that people should not believe
1
9.6
Talk that tries to trick people with false statements
1
9.8
Wrong advice that leads you to make a mistake
An incorrect or misleading statement about something
False talk meant to trick people
A story or idea that is untrue and silly
How Accurate
680
3.0
- Informal
63
4.6
578
2.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
unrepresentative + swill
The phrase pairs a transparent modifier 'unrepresentative' (not reflecting the whole) with the pejorative noun 'swill' so the intended sense — low-quality or misleading material that does not represent reality — can be partially inferred from the parts. However, 'swill' requires a metaphorical shift from its literal sense (animal slop/trash) to mean 'worthless or trashy content', a non-literal usage that many B1 learners may not know, so full comprehension is not guaranteed without exposure.
Etymology
Unrepresentative swill uses swill in its old meaning of cheap, dirty food for pigs, so you can picture a bucket of scraps. Calling information 'unrepresentative swill' gives the picture of dirty leftovers that do not show the real picture, so it means 'misleading or useless' information.