1
as in rhetoric
language marked by abstractions, jargon, euphemisms, and circumlocutions
the reporter listened to the senator's double-talk for about 30 seconds, and then repeated the question
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in nonsense
unintelligible or meaningless talk
the man on the sidewalk rattled off some double-talk, shoved the petition in my face, and before I realized it, I had added my signature to the list
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of double-talk
Driving the news: The statement was published only in English on the Facebook page of the Israeli Prime Minister's Office — potentially another case of double-talk by Netanyahu.
—
Barak Ravid, Axios, 27 Sep. 2024
The GOP Senate candidate in Arizona, whose brand is a combative, never-back-down MAGA politics, has adopted a position on the issue that is nearly indistinguishable from that of double-talking Democrats.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 14 Apr. 2024
Pat Paulsen, a master of dry wit, delivered droll, double-talk editorials on social issues before mounting a presidential campaign in 1968 with the Straight Talkin’ American Government (STAG) Party.
—Fred A. Bernstein, Washington Post, 27 Dec. 2023
What new form of narrative, what gory amalgam of truth and spectacle, what double-talking rough beast approaches?
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2023
If his pre-prison projects were almost entirely freestyled, these songs are more tightly written, honoring the fallen, indicting the double-talk of the industry, powered by the energy of a bowstring being pulled back for a half-decade.
—Jeff Weiss, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2023
Barak Ravid, Axios, 27 Sep. 2024
The GOP Senate candidate in Arizona, whose brand is a combative, never-back-down MAGA politics, has adopted a position on the issue that is nearly indistinguishable from that of double-talking Democrats.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 14 Apr. 2024
Pat Paulsen, a master of dry wit, delivered droll, double-talk editorials on social issues before mounting a presidential campaign in 1968 with the Straight Talkin’ American Government (STAG) Party.
—Fred A. Bernstein, Washington Post, 27 Dec. 2023
What new form of narrative, what gory amalgam of truth and spectacle, what double-talking rough beast approaches?
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2023
If his pre-prison projects were almost entirely freestyled, these songs are more tightly written, honoring the fallen, indicting the double-talk of the industry, powered by the energy of a bowstring being pulled back for a half-decade.
—Jeff Weiss, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double-talk
Noun
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Markets have been whipsawed by the abrupt turns in rhetoric, but hopes that a ceasefire extension helped drive stocks toward a historic streak of weekly gains, even as sporadic attacks occur.—
Kate Sullivan,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
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But the proud born-again evangelical is channeling the zeal of an old-fashioned tent revival, even if some of his rhetoric falls far outside the bounds of the Good Book.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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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The prompts must make sense and cannot just be gobbledygook.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2026
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Meaningless gobbledygook to an outsider, yet powerful to those who know how to wield those sounds properly.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The film almost completely drops any and all scientific babble from the book in favor of character development, action sequences, and emotional gut punches.—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
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Read a book and sip tea in front of the central fireplace, swim between the indoor and outdoor sections of the glimmering pool, and soak your aching quads in the hot tubs under the evergreens and aspens while listening to the peaceful babble of Gore Creek.—
Sarah Kuta,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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On Saturday Night Live, host Will Ferrell and musical guest Paul McCartney played a couple of gibberish-speaking mechanics who end up taking some naive car owners for a ride.—
William Vaillancourt,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2026
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And these worlds aren’t even real, just ones and zeros merged to form a network of communication that sometimes feels like incoherent gibberish.—
Brandon Kaipo Moningka,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Some of the prattle can feel like treading water, a delaying tactic until the inevitable confrontation scene.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The bizarre reality of daily life in a Southeast Asian scam compound—the tactics, the tone, the mix of cruelty and upbeat corporate prattle—is revealed at an unprecedented level of resolution in a leak of documents to WIRED from a whistleblower inside one such sprawling fraud operation.—
Andy Greenberg,
Wired News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And the rigmarole of international travel is a very good reason.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
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Alternatives were mooted, such as filming in England, but flying all the crew from Poland, and their associated visa requirements, would have added to the rigmarole.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In December 2024, Lipa posted photos featuring a diamond ring on her left ring finger, spurring engagement chatter.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
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There’s plenty of chatter behind the scenes about more stories to come after the torrent of revelations since Platner announced his campaign.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Double-talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double-talk. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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