nonsense

[ non-sens, -suhns ]

noun

1. words or language having little or no sense or meaning.

   Synonyms: twaddle, trumpery, trash, tommyrot, rubbish, rot, poppycock, piffle, moonshine, humbug, hooey, hokum, guff, gibberish, foolishness, folderol, flapdoodle, fiddle-faddle, drivel, bunk, bull, bosh, blether, blatherskite, blather, blarney, bilge water, bilge, baloney, balderdash

2. conduct, action, etc., that is senseless, foolish, or absurd:

   to have tolerated enough nonsense.

3. impudent, insubordinate, or otherwise objectionable behavior:

   He doesn't have to take that nonsense from you.

4. something absurd or fatuous:

   the utter nonsense of such a suggestion.

5. anything of trifling importance or of little or no use.
6. Genetics. a DNA sequence that does not code for an amino acid and is not transcribed ( sense ).

nonsense

/ ˈnɒnsəns; nɒnˈsɛnsɪkəl /

noun

1. something that has or makes no sense; unintelligible language; drivel
2. conduct or action that is absurd
3. foolish or evasive behaviour or manners

   she'll stand no nonsense

4. See no-nonsense
   See no-nonsense
5. things of little or no value or importance; trash

interjection

1. an exclamation of disagreement

nonsense

/ nŏn′sĕns′ /

1. Relating to a mutation in a structural gene that changes a nucleotide triplet into a stop codon, thus prematurely terminating the polypeptide chain during protein synthesis.
2. See more at point mutation

Derived Forms

• nonˈsensically, adverb
• nonˈsensicalness, noun
• nonsensical, adjective

Other Words From

• non·sen·si·cal [non-, sen, -si-k, uh, l], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nonsense¹

First recorded in 1605–15; non- + sense

Idioms and Phrases

see stuff and nonsense .

Example Sentences

Turns out that many of the revelations you have wagered your lives on were transparent nonsense, despite your exhaustive research involving Internet memes.

From Washington Post

This is why nonsense advice like “think positive” usually fails.

From Outside Online

The question is why Fox News continues to pay him to sow division and nonsense on the highest-rated show on cable news.

From Washington Post

Instead they air fictions about defunding the police or insulting nonsense about Warnock hating America.

From Washington Post

I’m not worried about the “microchip tracking devices” nonsense.

From Vox

The academic, historic, and geopolitical nonsense that Khomeinism equals Iran has lasted long enough.

From The Daily Beast

But the author of The Beauty Myth has become a nonsense-garbling conspiracy theorist.

From The Daily Beast

In those early days, no-nonsense Anna was a full partner in the business.

From The Daily Beast

A country that is serious about health reform would not take a limited, valued resource and waste it on nonsense like this.

From The Daily Beast

You can either consume this plasticky PR nonsense and keep watching, or you can walk away.

From The Daily Beast

"Look here, old man, this superstitious nonsense is becoming an obsession to you," it said one fine April morning.

From Project Gutenberg

If you do not give up thinking and take to nonsense and novels, I shall be called to take you through a nervous fever.

From Project Gutenberg

I don't want to hear any more of that nonsense, nor to have you, Dorothy, go searching for the place.

From Project Gutenberg

"If he would only read our books, and enter into poetry and delight in it; but it is all nonsense to him," said Ethel.

From Project Gutenberg

If you were an only son, it might be your duty to stay; being one of many, 'tis nonsense to make a rout about parting with you.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• absurdity
• babble
• baloney
• bunk
• craziness
• drivel
• folly
• foolishness
• gibberish
• madness
• rubbish
• silliness
• stupidity
• trash