pooh-poohing

verb

variants also poohing
present participle of pooh-pooh
as in dismissing
informal to think or say that (something) is not very good or not true They pooh-poohed my suggestion. He pooh-poohed the idea that the house was haunted.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pooh-poohing
  1. dismissing
  2. rejecting
  3. ignoring
Verb
  • The video, which has resurfaced on social media ahead of the midterms, features older Americans dismissing issues such as gun violence and climate change while sarcastically encouraging young people to stay home on Election Day.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The usual suspects tried dismissing Jokic and Doncic as international players.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of dismissing
Verb
  • Or maybe voters weren't rejecting the idea of a wealth tax per se.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 10 Nov. 2026
  • In a small win for the defense, Sullivan issued a separate ruling rejecting the prosecution’s request for a gag order that would bar Clancy’s lawyers from speaking with the media about the case.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of rejecting
Verb
  • The queue — which wrapped around a nearby alleyway — slowly filed into the store, mostly ignoring the protest.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The post accused bar employees of ignoring complaints about the costume and claimed the man made Nazi salutes.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of ignoring
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.

Browse Nearby Words

pooh-poohed
pooh-poohing
pooh-poohs
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Cite this Entry

“Pooh-poohing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pooh-poohing. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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