variants
also pooh
as in to dismiss
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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Recent Examples of pooh-pooh
LaRoche tried to pooh-pooh the notion, and certainly did not wish Agent McGee to alarm his wife.
—
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Apr. 2025
But weather forecasters typically pooh-pooh their predictions.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
National Weather Service debunks woolly bear forecasting abilities Of course, the National Weather Service has come along to pooh-pooh the woolly bear's winter foresight, with its science and facts.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
No wonder his officers pooh-pooh Haiti’s gangs as amateurs compared to their previous foes, like Al Shabaab – though the al Qaeda affiliate hasn’t been entirely vanquished back home in Kenya.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 10 Aug. 2024
Still others pooh-pooh the suggestion that British voters would make decisions at the ballot box based on the political direction of another country, even one as close and influential as the United States.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2024
Experts in the wind-power industry pooh-pooh such warnings.
—Peter Fairley, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2010
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Apr. 2025
But weather forecasters typically pooh-pooh their predictions.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
National Weather Service debunks woolly bear forecasting abilities Of course, the National Weather Service has come along to pooh-pooh the woolly bear's winter foresight, with its science and facts.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
No wonder his officers pooh-pooh Haiti’s gangs as amateurs compared to their previous foes, like Al Shabaab – though the al Qaeda affiliate hasn’t been entirely vanquished back home in Kenya.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 10 Aug. 2024
Still others pooh-pooh the suggestion that British voters would make decisions at the ballot box based on the political direction of another country, even one as close and influential as the United States.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2024
Experts in the wind-power industry pooh-pooh such warnings.
—Peter Fairley, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2010
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pooh-pooh
Verb
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In July 2024, Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial ended by being dismissed with prejudice after his attorneys argued that prosecutors had buried evidence.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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In Monday’s filing, lawyers for Robert Morris and his wife, Debbie Morris, argue Clemishire’s claims should be dismissed in part because the statute of limitations on them have expired.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The 2023 edition opened a month later as Israel intensified its bombing campaign on Gaza, which has since killed more than 67,000 people, injured another 170,000 and razed the Palestinian territory to the ground, prompting accusations of genocide, which Israel has strongly rejected.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
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Wyden’s aide rejected outright the concept that the Finance Committee lacks proper jurisdiction.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The lawsuit alleges Parker ignored concerns raised by several teachers and staff members, including that the student may have had a gun in his possession hours before the shooting.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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In fact, they’d merely been habituated, the way a bird learns to ignore a rhino.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pooh-pooh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pooh-pooh. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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