humbugs 1 of 2

noun

plural of humbug
as in frauds
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise one humbug after another claimed to be the miraculously surviving daughter of the Russian czar

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humbugs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of humbug
as in fools
to cause to believe what is untrue humbugged into believing that the bones were the skeleton of a prehistoric human being

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 humbugs
Noun
San Diego theaters have lined up a bounty of seasonal stage shows designed to delight even the biggest humbugs. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humbugs
  1. frauds
  2. fools
  3. fakes
  4. tricks
  5. shams
  6. deceives
  7. pretenders
  8. charlatans
Noun
  • Philly may be shedding its second-fiddle status, but it remains entirely repulsed by frauds and underachievers.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • Focus Your Defenses Where The Risk Is Highest​ Many of today's biggest frauds begin with an email, an invoice or a payment request that looks completely legitimate.
    — Mark Beare, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of frauds
Verb
  • Runway, Pika, and a dozen others can produce footage that fools the eye on first watch.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
  • What fools these non-OpenAI mortals must be.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
Definition of fools
Noun
  • In this case, as staff eventually discovered, the box had been returned – but the books themselves had been replaced with fakes.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 15 July 2026
  • Some of the manuscripts were never returned, while others were replaced with fakes.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 13 July 2026
Definition of fakes
Verb
  • In effect, RedHook tricks the phone into connecting to its own powerful debugging controls, giving the malware deeper access without a computer.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
  • Exterior walls, similarly, may be warmer than an interior wall, which tricks the thermostat and causes the AC to run longer than necessary.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 15 July 2026
Definition of tricks
Noun
  • Treat it as the foundation for a beautifully layered bed or add the matching pillow shams to streamline the look.
    — Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2026
  • Not washing your duvet cover (and shams, if applicable) in a dedicated load.
    — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026
Definition of shams
Verb
  • The complaint also claims that the image deceives customers into thinking Lipa has endorsed the product and dilutes her brand identity.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 11 May 2026
  • The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.
    — Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of deceives
Noun
  • Now, hardship seems to be an end in itself, a battle scar or badge of honor that distinguishes true backpackers from mere pretenders.
    — Tim Brinkhof, Time, 4 May 2026
  • This is where hype turns into hard numbers, and contenders start getting separated from pretenders.
    — Geoff Clark OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of pretenders
Noun
  • In place of San Francisco’s decaying arts bohemia of poseurs and charlatans, they can be said to be creating an alternate bohemia.
    — Michael Bernick, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Others estimate that $500 billion in federal spending is diverted by charlatans each year.
    — Las Vegas Review-Journal, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
Definition of charlatans

Browse Nearby Words

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humbugs
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Cite this Entry

“Humbugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humbugs. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on humbugs

Nglish: Translation of humbugs for Spanish Speakers

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