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hokum

noun

ˈhō-kəm How to pronounce hokum (audio)
Definition of hokumnext
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense a movie about the disaster that's pure Hollywood hokum

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 hokum What finally holds all the hokum together is Pitt. — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 25 June 2025 Is this common household spice really an effective tool in the garden, or is this just influencer hokum? — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2025 From the foothills of the Berkshires arises a venerable strain of American madness, the poetry of hokum—the old weird America of medicine shows and travelling circuses and carnivals. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025 In past case studies of argyria, a common source is hokum therapies promoted by naturopaths and their ilk. — Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hokum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hokum
  1. nonsense
  2. garbage
  3. nuts
  4. silliness
  5. rubbish
  6. blah
  7. stupidity
Noun
  • The other two, the no-nonsense Clara (Ayanna Nicole Thomas) and the all-nonsense Farley (Gabriel Marcus Omlor), have a subplot of their own.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Ziegler says his team may find that a model produces nonsense under an unusual formatting request or that an external safety checker needs to intervene more frequently.
    — Barbara Booth, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of nonsense
Noun
  • Exhibiting a pile of hot, steaming garbage might have been more transgressive than showing these sculptures.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • But to anyone who knew the actual facts, not reckless garbage spewed on the internet, the result of the process was never in doubt.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of garbage
Noun
  • Beans, lentils, nuts and seeds still contribute protein and bring different nutrients with them.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
  • But nearly 90% fall short on seafood and more than half miss the mark on nuts, seeds and soy, according to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of nuts
Noun
  • This bit of silliness was originally featured in the Win Column, the AJC’s daily sports newsletter.
    — Rahul Deshpande, AJC.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Its silliness, therefore, cannot have the emotional impact of the chicken-talk scene in Bocking, or the hot-dogs-as-fingers segment in the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once.
    — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of silliness
Noun
  • This comes at the expense of no movement in the wrist, but to be fair, having the lightsaber pointed in any other direction would look rubbish.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Only construction waste will be accepted at the landfill such as, brush and rubbish, concrete, brick, rock, wood, paper, plastics, cardboard and roofing shingles and tiles.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
Definition of rubbish
Noun
  • There's been some good, but, generally, it's just been sort of blah.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • That’s where all the problems come from—the shrinkage, the color, blah, blah, blah.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of blah
Noun
  • This stupidity is tantamount to a cop issuing a summons to someone picking their nose in public to prove that crime is out of control.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The latest contestant in this recurring game of fiscal stupidity is Miami.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of stupidity

Browse Nearby Words

hokeypokey
hokum
hold
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Cite this Entry

“Hokum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hokum. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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