as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
the novel's elaborate theory detailing a supposed 2,000-year-old conspiracy is mostly tiresome twaddle
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Recent Examples of twaddle
The public is simply not buying it and is looking for an alternative.
Enough of the twaddle about how voting Democratic is voting to save democracy.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2024
Perhaps News Nation is trying to assume the mantle of Fox News as a dispenser of right-wing twaddle, or (to be more charitable) of CNN as a sober neutral voice.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2023
On the other end are people like Yann LeCun, who reject such scenarios as sci-fi twaddle.
—Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 21 June 2023
Brett calls Hal to trade pretentious literary references, chit-chat about the business of books and other time-sucking twaddle.
—oregonlive, 16 May 2023
No, not the usual twaddle about manipulative crowd-pleasers like cats, dogs, ferrets or budgies, which are programmed to be cute, but stories like the recent one in the Journal about goats that are helping to fight fires in rural Australia by gobbling up potential tinder.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 20 Jan. 2022
Much of the research and the dissemination of this twaddle is funded by the Gates Foundation, which last year spent $642 million for its U.S. program, including Pathways and other initiatives that focus on eliminating white supremacy from math.
—Kenin M. Spivak, National Review, 16 Sep. 2021
Before long, Limbaugh had attracted an audience of 20 million a day by spewing wildly racist, xenophobic and sexist bile and wildly untrue twaddle about everything from climate to tobacco to the number of murders committed by Bill and Hillary Clinton.
—Al Franken, Star Tribune, 11 Nov. 2020
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2024
Perhaps News Nation is trying to assume the mantle of Fox News as a dispenser of right-wing twaddle, or (to be more charitable) of CNN as a sober neutral voice.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2023
On the other end are people like Yann LeCun, who reject such scenarios as sci-fi twaddle.
—Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 21 June 2023
Brett calls Hal to trade pretentious literary references, chit-chat about the business of books and other time-sucking twaddle.
—oregonlive, 16 May 2023
No, not the usual twaddle about manipulative crowd-pleasers like cats, dogs, ferrets or budgies, which are programmed to be cute, but stories like the recent one in the Journal about goats that are helping to fight fires in rural Australia by gobbling up potential tinder.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 20 Jan. 2022
Much of the research and the dissemination of this twaddle is funded by the Gates Foundation, which last year spent $642 million for its U.S. program, including Pathways and other initiatives that focus on eliminating white supremacy from math.
—Kenin M. Spivak, National Review, 16 Sep. 2021
Before long, Limbaugh had attracted an audience of 20 million a day by spewing wildly racist, xenophobic and sexist bile and wildly untrue twaddle about everything from climate to tobacco to the number of murders committed by Bill and Hillary Clinton.
—Al Franken, Star Tribune, 11 Nov. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for twaddle
Noun
-
Crucially, the eggs were fittingly fluffy, none of that rubbery nonsense that plague lesser burrito slingers.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
6 Nov. 2025
-
All’s Fair is girlboss nonsense.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
That’s the whole point of that process of aging and using garbage bags and paint.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Raising the city’s garbage fee was another structural solution that aldermen and the mayor opted to avoid because of similar political difficulties.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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When firefighters arrived at the scene, multiple cars and piles of rubbish were on fire.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
One hurdle for these editors is that far-right hate is more conducive to digital slop, both because algorithms prize outlandish ragebait and because the tribalistic ideas themselves are low IQ rubbish.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The next slide showed a mouthwatering array of meats, cheeses, crudite and nuts set for snacking on, along with bottles of Haack's champagne line, Clé Cachée, chilling behind an array of glasses.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
For instance, nuts, seeds, nut butters, and chocolate are more prone to oxidation, which can lead to rancid flavors or a gritty texture.—
Bridget Shirvell,
Martha Stewart,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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While there are some moments of excessive silliness, the filmmaker mainly finds the proper balance throughout, resulting in a winning movie that should satisfy a fairly wide age group.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
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The silliness of this analysis could at least be matched by a silliness in tone.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In other words, our complexion is looking pallid, our skin is dry, and our overall appearance is just a little blah at the moment.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Instead of layers upon layers of neutral greige tones that simply feel blah, embrace contrast, rich tones, surfaces with a patina, and items that tell a story.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
So please excuse my ignorance and stupidity here, but.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
17 Dec. 2025
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That’s how stupidity often is—causing problems, but also presenting opportunities.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
5 Dec. 2025
Noun
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In one image—a favorite of mine—a man lies on an expanse of sand, cradling a smiling child, whose drool is pooling on the man’s shirtless chest.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
20 Dec. 2025
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Lotte looks down at drips of drool on the green rubber mat that covers her desk.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Twaddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twaddle. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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