phooey
Americaninterjection
interjection
Etymology
Origin of phooey
An Americanism first recorded in 1925–30; perhaps from German pfui! expression of disgust, conflated with English phoo! with similar force
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 think, academically, I would describe it as a load of old phooey," says Grosvenor, who believes a lot of art historical colleagues are too nervous to speak out.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
The “can’t win the big one” thing is phooey.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2022
Pardon our French, but phooey to all of that.
From Washington Times • Nov. 26, 2019
So, I say to all you guys, phooey.
From New York Times • Jul. 5, 2016
They could phooey all night long for all I cared.
From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia
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.
