as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
a trendy London restaurant serving bizarre concoctions that anyone with a brain and a stomach would dismiss as codswallop
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of codswallop
Great story, total codswallop, says Skaife, who has pored through the archives and found zip.
—
William Booth, The Seattle Times, 26 Oct. 2018
And don’t forget codswallop, a word that sounds Shakespearean but was coined in 1959.
—Stephen Miller, WSJ, 29 May 2018
Mnuchin tried to double-talk this codswallop past SPW.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 19 May 2017
William Booth, The Seattle Times, 26 Oct. 2018
And don’t forget codswallop, a word that sounds Shakespearean but was coined in 1959.
—Stephen Miller, WSJ, 29 May 2018
Mnuchin tried to double-talk this codswallop past SPW.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 19 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for codswallop
Noun
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The whole tariff nonsense, the tariffs that were struck down by the Supreme Court, those tariffs rested on false claims by the president of the United States about economic emergency.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
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And don’t give me the lacking pass protection nonsense.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The study confirmed direct dumping by boats, with evidence of bags full of rubbish thrown overboard.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
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Researchers found evidence of bags full of rubbish being thrown overboard, identifiable by pile-up patterns on the seabed.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Keep garbage bins covered and clean them frequently to remove sticky foods.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
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It has been used as a military camp, garbage dump, and recreational area throughout its history.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The devices, Tisch said at a Saturday news conference, were smaller than a football and appeared to be a jar wrapped in black tape that contained nuts, bolts, and screws, along with a hobby fuse that could be lit.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
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The devices were wrapped in black tape with nuts, bolts and screws, as well as a fuse.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Piccioli sent out a mishmash of styles from all over a fashion map that seems to have been drawn five or six years ago (oversize sneakers, faux couture gestures like capes and feathers and blah sportswear).—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
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Selling was easy, even if the returns for McMann and Laughton in particular were kinda blah and the Leafs were unable to execute any major roster shakeup or take advantage of their ability to retain salary.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Any who show up are declaring their indelible stupidity and misogyny.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
24 Feb. 2026
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As to the famous fine line between stupid and clever, the stupidity and the cleverness are all but inextricable, and to the point.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Various clips are making the rounds on social media where Chiefs fans are enjoying seeing Jones’ latest silliness.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
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This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos.—
Miriam Balanescu,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The evidence is irrefutable — a pile of drool atop a drenched spot on your pillow.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
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Plus, Helen Jo promised a drool-worthy sour cream and onion dip will be paired with it.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Codswallop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/codswallop. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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