variants
or buncombe
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
a cinematic depiction of the Middle Ages that was derided as pure bunkum by historians
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of bunkum
Rubbish, bunkum, romanticised bullcrap, fraud, nonsense, baloney.
—
George Caulkin, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Putting aside the junk peddling, how much of Madoff’s and Trump’s bunkum do they themselves (for Madoff, did) believe to be true?
—Richard Behar, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
As generative AI is integrated into common search engines and voters converse with chatbots, people seeking basic information about elections have at times been met with misinformation, pure bunkum, or links to fringe websites.
—Mekela Panditharatne, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
And in the ultimate exemplification of how an endless stream of content begets pernicious bunkum, John McPhail’s Dear David is arguably the most brainless release of the year.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 5 Dec. 2023
Nevertheless, anti-vaccine bunkum has clearly metastasized to our furry companions.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 30 Aug. 2023
Brightly lit and filled to their Botox gills with aspirational bunkum, the shows require little by way of mental engagement.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2023
Behind the image was a fair bit of bunkum.
—James Gleick, The New York Review of Books, 13 Apr. 2021
The Telegraph's article immediately drew sharp responses from other journalists, who dismissed the report as bunkum.
—Smriti Rao, Discover Magazine, 15 Mar. 2010
George Caulkin, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Putting aside the junk peddling, how much of Madoff’s and Trump’s bunkum do they themselves (for Madoff, did) believe to be true?
—Richard Behar, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
As generative AI is integrated into common search engines and voters converse with chatbots, people seeking basic information about elections have at times been met with misinformation, pure bunkum, or links to fringe websites.
—Mekela Panditharatne, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
And in the ultimate exemplification of how an endless stream of content begets pernicious bunkum, John McPhail’s Dear David is arguably the most brainless release of the year.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 5 Dec. 2023
Nevertheless, anti-vaccine bunkum has clearly metastasized to our furry companions.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 30 Aug. 2023
Brightly lit and filled to their Botox gills with aspirational bunkum, the shows require little by way of mental engagement.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2023
Behind the image was a fair bit of bunkum.
—James Gleick, The New York Review of Books, 13 Apr. 2021
The Telegraph's article immediately drew sharp responses from other journalists, who dismissed the report as bunkum.
—Smriti Rao, Discover Magazine, 15 Mar. 2010
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bunkum
Noun
-
Every four years, we are told that this is the most important election in history, which is a lot of errant nonsense.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
12 Sep. 2025
-
This type of nonsense from [in-laws] is what wears on you over the years.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Start With Clean, Reliable Data Garbage in, garbage out.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
By the end, Flacco was removed from the game and rookie Dillon Gabriel led a garbage-time touchdown drive capped by an 8-yard scoring pass to Dylan Sampson.—
Zac Jackson,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Kennedy has elevated threats to the livelihoods of scientists who have resisted his brand of balderdash from the implicit to the explicit.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Nov. 2024
-
While schools do exist in rough tiers of selectivity, size, excellence, prestige and so forth, the idea of precise rankings is balderdash.—
David M. Perry,
CNN,
14 Sep. 2022
Noun
-
That’s off-the-scale stupidity.—
Jason Mastrodonato,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
-
So in the midst of poverty imposed by the American embargo and the frequent stupidity of their own government, Cubans struggle to eke out a life.—
Charles Hammer,
Kansas City Star,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Let’s dive in and see what the hype, and the hokum (because there is some), is all about.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Even so, as Jerry delivers his hokum, Offerman invests it with a hypnotic clarity, a sense that Jerry is trying to create a rational and just world — to create salvation — out of the irrational.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Josh Robbins: The notion there should be an asterisk next to the Lakers’ title is hogwash.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Some proclaim that arguing about AGI and ASI as being excessively compassionate is hogwash and a waste of time.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Noun
-
This is Spielberg at his most pure and sensational, an undiluted cinematic experience that lacks any of his sentimental claptrap and steers clear of his tendency for multiple endings.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
-
Third, despite Trump’s claptrap, plenty of fresh delta water is being pumped south to fill fire hydrants and the tanks of firefighting aircraft.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Regardless, concerns that the series’ delay was due to quality problems have proved to be viral poppycock.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
27 June 2025
-
Buckingham Palace simply couldn’t abide someone in its circle saying poppycock.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Bunkum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bunkum. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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