blarney 1 of 2

noun

ˈblär-nē How to pronounce blarney (audio)
Definition of blarneynext
1
as in flattery
excessive praise laid the blarney on thick in order to get special treatment from the waitress

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2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense his excuse was his usual blarney about how he'd love to help out but he was just so darned busy

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blarney

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to coax
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery attendants at the nursing home sometimes have to blarney the patients to take their medicine

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2
as in to honey
to praise too much an eager, young assistant who blarneys the boss shamelessly

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blarney
Noun
Dinner, blarney and shenanigans with music and entertainment from Todd Menton (founder of Boiled in Lead), Peter Guertin, The O’Shea Irish Dancers and Katie McMahon (voice of River Dance). — Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2025 To many would-be publishers, the title sounded like a bunch of blarney — even in the early 1990s, many people still considered Ireland a conservative backwater and a cultural appendage to Britain. — Clay Risen, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2022 After years of listening to Boris Johnson’s blarney, many Britons have had their fill, at least for now, of hot air cleverly channelled. — John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2022 This might come as a surprise given the outsized and blarney-filled headlines on social media to the contrary. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 4 June 2022 See All Example Sentences for blarney
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blarney
  1. flattery
  2. nonsense
  3. coax
  4. honey
  5. praise
  6. nuts
  7. stroke
  8. adulation
Noun
  • Fake travel email uses flattery The message says your activity placed you among a select number of loyal members.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
  • The real danger is not the flattery itself.
    — Terry Oroszi, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Definition of flattery
Noun
  • Until recently, that would have sounded like absolute nonsense.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 30 June 2026
  • There weren’t meetings with executives about tone and mood and all this nonsense.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Definition of nonsense
Verb
  • The American chased down the shot and coaxed an error from Muchová anyway.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 9 July 2026
  • Lift the spoon out gently to coax the flesh out from the skin.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026
Definition of coax
Verb
  • Her voice, languid and honeyed, can glide over sensual R&B, bouncing reggaetón, shimmering pop or nostalgic jazz.
    — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Those harmonies — simultaneously honeyed and gravelly, providing just enough support without overshadowing, yet so powerful and full of potential — echoes Whitten.
    — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2024
Definition of honey
Noun
  • Bobby Wilson was a pastor’s son who grew up idolizing the kind of R&B dudes who could wail a praise song and then hit up Freaknik afterwards (think Jodeci and H-Town).
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 11 July 2026
  • Amassing 2 million views and widespread praise, these videos feature photorealistic AI versions of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, with stories set between *The Empire Strikes Back* and *Return of the Jedi*.
    — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of praise
Noun
  • California is significant because the state supplies nearly half of the vegetables and more than three-quarters of the fruits and nuts eaten in the United States.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
  • Cashews and walnuts also contribute, alongside brazil nuts and pine nuts.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 9, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of nuts
Verb
  • There are many outcomes that stroke our ego — a distribution deal, a theater count, a Rotten Tomatoes score, impressions or even followers on social media.
    — Daren Smith, IndieWire, 8 July 2026
  • Medina cuts the ball back, Almada dummies it intelligently and, when the ball reaches him, Messi has enough space to stroke a first-time shot into the net.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of stroke
Noun
  • Fans showered Ovechkin with cheers and adulation, despite his refusal to acknowledge the surrounding uncertainty.
    — Sean Gentille, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • Each member derives her own realizations from this experience, with its dual crucibles of grindingly hard work and pop adulation.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 25 June 2026
Definition of adulation

Browse Nearby Words

blaring
blarney
blarneyed
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Cite this Entry

“Blarney.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blarney. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on blarney

Nglish: Translation of blarney for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blarney

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