balderdash
Americannoun
-
senseless, stupid, or exaggerated talk or writing; nonsense.
-
Obsolete. a muddled mixture of liquors.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of balderdash
First recorded in 1590–1600; of obscure origin
Explanation
Balderdash is something said or written that doesn't make sense, such as a ridiculous claim or a bad argument. In other words, it's complete and utter nonsense. Balderdash is a fun, somewhat old-fashioned term for "nonsense" or "rubbish." It carries a British, slightly theatrical overtone, and is best used in a light-hearted way for trivial matters. Calling someone's argument "balderdash" feels more like a playful rebuke than a harsh insult. Save weightier terms like fallacy or misinformation for important or professional disputes, as serious concerns deserve a more serious word than balderdash.
Vocabulary lists containing balderdash
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
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Slaughterhouse-Five
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Not Nothing
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I am upset on the behalf of young men in America. They cannot listen to this balderdash and this old-timey view of women, which is a caveman view.”
From Washington Times • May 12, 2023
Or in his own words - spat out in a Yorkshire growl - "bunkum and balderdash".
From BBC • Feb. 24, 2023
But despite “I Want You Back’s” heaping helping of the usual rom-com balderdash, both Slate and Day provide enough underdog charisma to make us root for their characters, if not their wrongheaded quests.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2022
For Mr. Merrill of Harrison Street, the romanticization of remote work is balderdash.
From New York Times • Nov. 12, 2021
In other words, a person full of balderdash.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
