as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
a combat veteran himself, he could not believe the balderdash he was hearing from whippersnappers with no war experience at all
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Recent Examples of balderdash
Kennedy has elevated threats to the livelihoods of scientists who have resisted his brand of balderdash from the implicit to the explicit.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2024
While schools do exist in rough tiers of selectivity, size, excellence, prestige and so forth, the idea of precise rankings is balderdash.
—David M. Perry, CNN, 14 Sep. 2022
With that in mind, the experts look at Cannon’s decision and see balderdash everywhere.
—Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 12 Sep. 2022
Declaring himself a victim is not just hyperbole or balderdash.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2022
Many experts in finance and digital security have been watching with dismay as consumers and policymakers bought in to promoters’ balderdash.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2022
Sorry to say, that is unmitigated balderdash and completely misleading.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2021
The popular myth of important artists being neglected in their lifetimes is for the most part balderdash.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 19 July 2021
The Hill, however, was a happy home for this balderdash, thanks to the famously lax editorial standards that suffuse the paper’s operations.
—Libby Watson, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2019
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2024
While schools do exist in rough tiers of selectivity, size, excellence, prestige and so forth, the idea of precise rankings is balderdash.
—David M. Perry, CNN, 14 Sep. 2022
With that in mind, the experts look at Cannon’s decision and see balderdash everywhere.
—Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 12 Sep. 2022
Declaring himself a victim is not just hyperbole or balderdash.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2022
Many experts in finance and digital security have been watching with dismay as consumers and policymakers bought in to promoters’ balderdash.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2022
Sorry to say, that is unmitigated balderdash and completely misleading.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2021
The popular myth of important artists being neglected in their lifetimes is for the most part balderdash.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 19 July 2021
The Hill, however, was a happy home for this balderdash, thanks to the famously lax editorial standards that suffuse the paper’s operations.
—Libby Watson, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balderdash
Noun
-
Just ask anyone who's watched an AI confidently spit out nonsense—or worse.—
Bob Ras,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
While Drop, clocking in at an economical 93 minutes, may sound like fun and games, there’s something deeper and more human at its core than mindless nonsense.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Mountains of garbage are said to be visible from space and people have complained of seeing rats as big as cats in the refuse.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Apr. 2025
-
With the parent club, Davison has been stuck behind Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard on the backcourt depth chart, limiting him to 15 mostly garbage-time appearances this season.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Use it to find and retrieve stray nuts or bolts in any crevice.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Without that pollination, almond trees produce only 200 pounds of nuts per acre.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The site was first excavated beginning in 1995, and in 2018, scientists began collecting, analyzing and radiocarbon dating fossils unearthed from El Gigante rubbish piles.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Last year, a dumpster diver in Hudson, New York, stumbled upon an extraordinary find: An 18th-century pen-and-ink sketch by English portraitist George Romney was hidden amid the rubbish.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Trump himself personifies stupidity’s essential feature — self-satisfaction, an inability to recognize the flaws in your thinking.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
-
These deaths come on the heels of the equally bizarre and jarring death of Adult Lottie (Simone Kessell) which brings us to four adult survivors dead, though Adult Travis died offscreen (sparking a really fascinating mystery that ended in sheer stupidity and disappointment).—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Living Better From blah to buoyant, these skills can improve your mood and optimism Why aim towards the ear?—
Andrea Muraskin,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2025
-
American Airlines is giving Midwesterners a new way to escape the winter blahs.—
Brandon Withrow,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Depp pushes over a cabinet with dishes, rips open her dress and makes a most unholy noise as her eyeballs go up in their sockets, tongue juts out and globs of drool pour from her mouth.—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
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Wipe the drool off your tank top, put some pants on, and get out your mama’s basement!—
Alex Perry,
The Enquirer,
6 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Balderdash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balderdash. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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