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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2025
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
Noun
-
The frauds have grown nearly in lockstep with the growth of the industry.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
-
There is absolutely no evidence that frauds of this type or anywhere near this scale are happening in any of the other four states, or frankly that there is a large volume of as-yet-undiscovered fraud in Minnesota itself.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For now, the small-cap breakout to a new high should be respected after so many head fakes since 2021.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
26 Jan. 2026
-
In the meantime, prepare and arm your self and your company to better spot the fakes—start with video.—
Dean DeBiase,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One of the dangers of the Midwestern climate is a late-winter warm spell that thaws the soil and tricks bulbs and other plants into sprouting too early.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Jan. 2026
-
This tricks incoming missiles into targeting the decoy instead of the actual jet.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The set comes with two shams and is reversible with a simple solid white side.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The complete set comes with a cozy bedspread and two matching pillow shams.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In a statement issued Friday, the commission accused X of using its 'blue checkmark' in a way that deceives users.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
5 Dec. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Momentum hardens, vulnerabilities are exposed and the gap between contenders and pretenders is out in the open.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
First up was Ben Shapiro, who described Tucker Carlson and others as grifters and charlatans, guilty of misleading their audiences with falsehoods and conspiracy theories.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Fortune,
19 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Humbugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humbugs. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
