nonsense
/ˈnɒns(ə)ns
/noun [mass noun]
1Spoken or written words that have no meaning or make no sense: he was talking absolute nonsense...
- Then he comes into this House, along with his colleagues, and talks a lot of drivel and absolute nonsense.
- I try to write, and manage 60 words of unsatisfactory nonsense before I give up.
- Like I said earlier, it's absolute nonsense but nonsense which has been crafted with care and boundless enthusiasm.
Synonyms
rubbish, balderdash, gibberish, claptrap, blarney, guff, blather, blether
informal hogwash, rot, baloney, tripe, drivel, gobbledegook, bilge, bosh, bull, bunk, hot air, eyewash, piffle, poppycock, phooey, hooey, malarkey, twaddle, dribble
British informal cobblers, codswallop, cock, stuff and nonsense, tosh, double Dutch, flannel, waffle
Scottish & Northern English informal havers
North American informal garbage, flapdoodle, blathers, wack, bushwa, applesauce
informal, dated bunkum, tommyrot, cod, gammon, toffee
vulgar slang shit, bullshit, crap, bollocks, balls
North American vulgar slang crapola
Australian/New Zealand vulgar slang bulldust
1.1 [as exclamation] Used to show strong disagreement: ‘Nonsense! No one can do that.’...
- The second man was indignant at hearing this: ‘What nonsense!’
- As for his assertion that they would have replaced poll tax with a local income tax if it was feasible - nonsense!
- As a stickler for law and order, I say: nonsense!
1.2 [as modifier] Denoting verse or other writing intended to be amusing by virtue of its absurd or whimsical language: nonsense poetry...
- I got a text message on my cell phone today with nonsense poetry from an unknown source.
- The nonsense lyrics are either the ramblings of a burnt out fool or transcendent works of genius.
- It is not addressed to anyone, is not in the Knave's handwriting, and is actually a set of nonsense verses.
2Foolish or unacceptable behaviour: she’s a strong woman who stands no nonsense...
- I believed that his romanticisms were foolish nonsense and were to be looked down upon.
- Referee Peter McCarthy refused to stand for any nonsense and brandished a succession of cards.
- Frankly, I am not going to stand any of your nonsense; and when you drop it I shall not expect you to stand any of mine.
Synonyms
mischief, mischievousness, naughtiness, badness;
bad behaviour, misbehaviour, misconduct, misdemeanour, perversity, pranks, tricks, larks, capers, joking, jesting, clowning, buffoonery, roguery, devilry, funny business;
French diablerie
informal tomfoolery, monkey tricks, monkey business, shenanigans, goings-on, hanky-panky
British informal carry-on, carryings-on, jiggery-pokery
archaic deviltry
2.1 [count noun] Something ridiculously impractical or ill-advised: the law is a nonsense the proposal would make a nonsense of their plans...
- And such, I'm afraid, are the daily nonsenses with which writers are assailed by publishers.
- Dalrymple takes us on a grand tour of the nonsenses and hypocrisies which surround this tale, and in doing so he exposes, yet again, the cretinous and self-serving nature of much of what passes, these days, for academic discourse.
- However, the dates make a nonsense of this suggestion.