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
Indeed, some devices are more powerful than others, and a few are just plain hooey.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 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
Indeed, some devices are more powerful than others, and a few are just plain hooey.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 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
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The other side in a debate with common sense is nonsense.—
Danielle Kurtzleben,
NPR,
22 Oct. 2025
-
That kind of no-nonsense mentality cuts right through all the nonsense and puts the focus on the work.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In a recording shared by his family, Dailey recounted driving his 2002 silver Dodge Dakota up the Swamp Lake Trail, reaching the top safely and stopping to snack on some jerky and a handful of nuts, ABC News reported.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The crew can now prepare ingredients like nuts, cakes, and fresh vegetables using the oven and other cooking tools.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
One officer allegedly found garbage bags inside a large freezer that were later determined to contain the remains of a female, the station reported.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Milivojevic, meanwhile, has benefited with garbage-time appearances over the last four games, putting up three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the process.—
Christian Romo,
Freep.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Here’s my house, blah, blah, blah.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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If your manicure has been feeling a little blah recently, one of the best ways to elevate your look is with the best accent nail ideas.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
One hurdle for these editors is that far-right hate is more conducive to digital slop, both because algorithms prize outlandish ragebait and because the tribalistic ideas themselves are low IQ rubbish.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
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This was due to the incredible amount of rubbish that had been left to pile up inside.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Some hijinks and silliness happen.—
Charles Infosino,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 Oct. 2025
-
As Theodore Logan, Keanu Reeves found the perfect vessel for his serene silliness, playing well off Alex Winter’s equally clueless Bill.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
At one point, Pancho is filmed getting a bath in the sink, likely to wash off the drool from his oversized pals.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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The trailer opens with Elsbeth — clad in a hot-pink plaid suit that would make Cher from Clueless drool — asleep on a couch behind a pile of pastel-pink luggage in the office of Scotty Bristol (Stephen Colbert), the host of the fictional late-night show Way Late with Scotty Bristol.—
Carson Blackwelder,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Why should Curtis have to back down to **maybe** save that city from its own stupidity?—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The Snack Homiez’ back-and-forth, soothing in its stupidity, reminded me of this Kate McKinnon-Aidy Bryant two-hander from 2021.—
Charu Sinha,
Vulture,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hooey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooey. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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