as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
stories about the inn being haunted are just a lot of hooey
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Recent Examples of hooey
Cinderella Man is unalloyed emotional manipulation, and while the cast all dig into the maudlin hooey — Paul Giamatti is especially good as the crusty trainer — nothing here has the spark of real life.
—
Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
The old line about the 28 gauge having a square load is hooey.
—Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 11 Dec. 2019
But as comforting as a toddy may be, the notion of a dose of booze as a cold cure has always struck me as a load of hooey.
—M. Carrie Allan, charlotteobserver, 23 Jan. 2018
The scene where Skerrett has a highland fling with a blond, bearded hunk is more than a wee bit full of hooey.
—David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Jan. 2018
There was a whole lot of narrative hooey to explain the theme, which mostly had to do with caterpillars becoming butterflies, girls becoming women, et cetera.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2017
Contrary to the previous load of hooey dispensed by Junior and the first family, this dude was not a translator.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 18 July 2017
And that 38 percent believes accusations that Trump's campaign conspired with Russian hackers and spies to influence the election's outcome -- and the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the election -- are nothing but hooey.
—Douglas Perry, OregonLive.com, 15 June 2017
Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
The old line about the 28 gauge having a square load is hooey.
—Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 11 Dec. 2019
But as comforting as a toddy may be, the notion of a dose of booze as a cold cure has always struck me as a load of hooey.
—M. Carrie Allan, charlotteobserver, 23 Jan. 2018
The scene where Skerrett has a highland fling with a blond, bearded hunk is more than a wee bit full of hooey.
—David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Jan. 2018
There was a whole lot of narrative hooey to explain the theme, which mostly had to do with caterpillars becoming butterflies, girls becoming women, et cetera.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2017
Contrary to the previous load of hooey dispensed by Junior and the first family, this dude was not a translator.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 18 July 2017
And that 38 percent believes accusations that Trump's campaign conspired with Russian hackers and spies to influence the election's outcome -- and the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the election -- are nothing but hooey.
—Douglas Perry, OregonLive.com, 15 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooey
Noun
-
Packers gonna Packers, but at least Doubs is clear of that nonsense.—
Jess Bryant,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Assembly Bill 325 is economically illiterate nonsense that attempts to ban the use of pricing algorithms that help businesses determine prices.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Just one or two nuts can cover your daily needs.—
Morgan Pearson,
Verywell Health,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Spoon any topping and nuts in pan onto loaf.—
Katlyn Moncada,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Those three garbage-time scores might have bought him another week.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Some Waukesha residents voice concerns The city hasn't kept its $160 garbage and tax collection proposal a secret.—
Jim Riccioli,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Cabins have very low humidity, causing our skin to lose moisture, look dry, and blah.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Just a few years ago, my friend would have to rely on the contents of her mind to reimagine such blah to beauty.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This is absolute rubbish, calculated to pour gasoline on the growing divide between conservatives and progressives.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Locating and identifying seabed rubbish that's prime for removal is undertaken via onboard sonar and a vision camera, plus AI processing, to help the robot recognize trash and determine where best to grab on.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Even its most mean-spirited plotline, in which a married couple assemble a fake theater production to humiliate their ex-neighbor whose noisiness prompted them to move, is presented as more of a gentle exercise in silliness than anything truly vindictive.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In a throwback to the warts-and-all silliness of the family’s legendary MTV reality show, The Osbournes, Coming Home appears to lean into the domestic comedy of the Osbourne clan, opening with a jittery Ozzy begging Sharon to stop driving in a herky-jerky manner.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Lionel Messi flexed another drool-worthy Patek Philippe ahead of a game on Wednesday.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Officers responding to the scene found the dog panting heavily, with excessive drool coating the back seat.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Its stupidity was entertaining, but its stupidity also freed me from having to think about it.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
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The only reason for this incessant stupidity?—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hooey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooey. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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