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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That’s the prayerful explanation for the nonsense that spouted this week from the leaders of a football conference that hopes to grow up and be the Big Ten someday.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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Let’s see if the Pomona Unified School District, which pays thousands of dollars to support its schools’ athletic program, is going to act and stop this nonsense.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Historically, this ash is dumped in piles, mixed in cement, or simply thrown away as industrial rubbish.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
24 May 2026
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Trash pickup Chris Barnett, Orion Township supervisor, said residents of his community will be allowed to place more bagged trash outside at their next Waste Management pickup day to help handle overflow rubbish from paper plates, etc.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The Paris police prefecture said smaller groups caused disturbances in various locations, with some vandalizing shops and setting fires to garbage and self-service bicycles in the streets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
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Protesters were later seen pelting ICE vehicles with kitchen towels and trash as garbage littered the ground.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
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According to the United States Department of Agriculture, milk and nuts are included in the nine leading causes of food allergies in the United States.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
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Flavors unfold in deliberate waves, featuring rich caramel and butterscotch, then roasted nuts, milk chocolate, and a touch of baking spices.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Noun
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There’s also the logical blah blah that a sequel is good for the greater franchise ecosystem, read viewers will rewatch Star Wars movies on Disney+, etc.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
25 May 2026
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Sure, the challenges were a bit blah, but, still, a rousing and triumphant success.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Nobody doggedly builds a stand-up career that takes them from clubs to theaters to selling out arena tours from a foundation of genuine stupidity.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
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And not just because one of the leading contestants torched himself and his political livelihood in a bonfire of hubris and stupidity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Pratchett’s gift was to blend deep philosophy and complete silliness.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
24 May 2026
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Stop the doomscrolling and embrace some baseball silliness.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Noun
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Hicks can take advantage of the matchup and cash his home run prop at drool-inducing +700 odds.—
Josh Shepardson,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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His jowls had dragged ropes of drool.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Codswallop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/codswallop. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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