claptrap

American  

[klap-trap] / ˈklæpˌtræp /

noun

1. pretentious but insincere or empty language.

   His speeches seem erudite but analysis reveals them to be mere claptrap.

   Synonyms:

   bunk, nonsense, hokum, humbug, sham

2. any artifice or expedient for winning applause or impressing the public.

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claptrap British  

/ ˈklæpˌtræp /

noun

1. contrived but foolish talk

2. insincere and pretentious talk

   politicians' claptrap

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Etymology

Origin of claptrap

First recorded in 1720–30; clap ¹ + trap ¹

Explanation

Use the word claptrap when you're talking about overblown nonsense. You might read your English professor's new book and secretly feel that it's nothing but claptrap. Writing that's grandiose or boastful is one kind of claptrap, and a ridiculous or absurd speech is another. Most claptrap involves ornate ways of talking or writing, involving rhetorical flourishes and a lack of deep meaning. The word comes from the idea of "a trick to 'catch' applause," and its meaning evolved to mean "showy, cheap talk" and also, to some degree, "nonsense."