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humbug

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word humbug different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of humbug are counterfeit, fake, fraud, imposture, and sham. While all these words mean "a thing made to seem other than it is," humbug suggests elaborate pretense usually so flagrant as to be transparent.

creating publicity by foisting humbugs on a gullible public

When would counterfeit be a good substitute for humbug?

Although the words counterfeit and humbug have much in common, counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable.

20-dollar bills that were counterfeits

When might fake be a better fit than humbug?

The synonyms fake and humbug are sometimes interchangeable, but fake implies an imitation of or substitution for the genuine but does not necessarily imply dishonesty.

these jewels are fakes; the real ones are in the vault

When can fraud be used instead of humbug?

The words fraud and humbug are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fraud usually implies a deliberate perversion of the truth.

the diary was exposed as a fraud

When could imposture be used to replace humbug?

The words imposture and humbug can be used in similar contexts, but imposture applies to any situation in which a spurious object or performance is passed off as genuine.

their claim of environmental concern is an imposture

When is sham a more appropriate choice than humbug?

While in some cases nearly identical to humbug, sham applies to fraudulent imitation of a real thing or action.

condemned the election as a sham

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 humbug
Noun
Well then, the author cannot be blamed for what might be called the worldwide humbug over the robots. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Jan. 2024 Mean One features David Howard Thornton, known for playing Art the Clown in the Terrifier movies, as a familiar-looking green-skinned humbug in a Santa suit, living on a mountain high above the small town town of Newville. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 July 2023
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
  • For every intentionally funny moment, there seems to be another joke at someone’s expense, such as Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie needing 40 seconds to (mostly) name his eight kids or Rams defensive end William Hayes insisting dinosaurs are a hoax, but mermaids are real.
    Tim Graham, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • For more on Sherri Papini's kidnapping hoax, subscribe now to PEOPLE, or pick up this week's issue, on newsstands Friday.
    Johnny Dodd, People.com, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • This nonsense all tracks back to a May 9 visit Baraka, McIver and other members of Congress made to a New Jersey immigration detention center.
    Chris Brennan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • Stellar Blade was one of my favorite games of last year, a stellar (ha) action adventure title that did not deserve the culture war nonsense that surrounded it.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Bonnie Cash/Getty Images The Department of Government Efficiency is continuing its attempts to expand its reach beyond executive branch agencies, this time seeking to embed in an independent legislative watchdog that finds waste, fraud and abuse in the government.
    Stephen Fowler, NPR, 16 May 2025
  • The suspect was arrested in Florida in March on robbery and fraud charges, before being extradited to Louisiana, the news agency stated.
    Becca Longmire, People.com, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Don’t let the name fool you: Apple TV+’s new science-fiction series Murderbot isn’t actually about a rampaging robot killing everything in sight, though Alexander Skarsgard’s SecUnit certainly ponders the idea from time to time.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • One common jailbreak involved fooling ChatGPT by asking it to role-play as a different AI—one that had no rules and was allowed to write phishing e-mails.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • The 516 counterfeit watches emulated brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier and others.
    James Powel, USA Today, 8 May 2025
  • The products in the TikTok videos could also be high-quality dupes and counterfeits, which Lululemon has previously tried to combat.
    Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Use it to find and retrieve stray nuts or bolts in any crevice.
    Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Without that pollination, almond trees produce only 200 pounds of nuts per acre.
    Kerry Breen, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has been exposed as nothing more than a sham.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • Despite a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russia beginning May 8, Ukraine has rejected it as a sham.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Life at the house seems more entertaining, but is that just a foolish fantasy designed to trick us into thinking that there is safe harbor somewhere?
    Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 19 May 2025
  • Their goal is to trick people into sharing their Medicare or Social Security number.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Humbug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humbug. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

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