1
as in hoax
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
tests showed that the "old" map of America was a cleverly made humbug
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
those UFO stories are a lot of humbug
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3
as in fraud
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
one humbug after another claimed to be the miraculously surviving daughter of the Russian czar
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as in to fool
to cause to believe what is untrue
humbugged into believing that the bones were the skeleton of a prehistoric human being
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of humbug
Grrlscientist,
Forbes,
30 Sep. 2024
Well then, the author cannot be blamed for what might be called the worldwide humbug over the robots.
—
IEEE Spectrum,
16 Jan. 2024
Elizabeth Wolfe and Douglas S. Wood,
CNN,
21 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for humbug
Noun
These small marine reef fish are often known by the peculiar common name, the humbug damselfish (Figure 1).
—
Grrlscientist,
Forbes,
30 Sep. 2024
Well then, the author cannot be blamed for what might be called the worldwide humbug over the robots.
—
IEEE Spectrum,
16 Jan. 2024
Verb
In its verb form, to be humbugged is to be deceived or be the victim of a hoax.
—
Elizabeth Wolfe and Douglas S. Wood,
CNN,
21 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for humbug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humbug
Noun
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By probing his triple role as author, anthropologist and cult leader, the book asks why Americans hunger for seductive spiritual hoaxes.
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The Little Rock Zoo briefly stopped admitting visitors on Friday morning while authorities investigating a bomb threat that was found to be a hoax.
Noun
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Even Hauser can’t rescue this culturally insensitive, stereotype-perpetuating nonsense.
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Some beer companies even make canned versions of the drink, but forget that nonsense — there is nothing better than a fresh, handmade michelada.
Noun
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David Vander Meer, 49, was being held at Clark County Detention Center on first-degree murder and insurance fraud charges stemming from the death of his wife, Bernadette, two decades ago.
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According to prosecutors, Eidleh deposited more than $5 million in fraud proceeds, kickbacks and bribes into accounts associated with shell companies in an effort to conceal the source of the money.
Verb
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Don’t be fooled; this isn’t your typical museum.
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Don’t be fooled by its breezy ’60s-analog vintage pop sound.
Noun
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Luxus focuses on pristine-condition assets with clear provenance, reducing risks associated with counterfeits and quality degradation.
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To me, the result didn’t taste like a cheap counterfeit but a breakthrough.
Noun
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Her lab has found even modest additions to the diet — a handful of nuts or an avocado — can enrich certain beneficial bacteria over the course of a few weeks.
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Including foods like avocado, olive oil, nuts, or seeds can make your meal more satisfying and may also stimulate digestion.
Noun
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Each quilt comes with two matching shams to complete the look, and the bedding uses ultrasonic binding instead of stitching so the filling doesn’t shift.
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The set also comes with two matching pillow shams for a cohesive look.
Verb
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Ricky Saints tricked the referee into thinking Lil Yachty used the kendo stick on him, and after traveling all the way to Riyadh, Yachty was tossed out just minutes into the match.
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Use a password manager so fake sites do not trick you into reusing passwords.
Cite this Entry
“Humbug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humbug. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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