First Known Use: 1750
Dictionary
1humbug
noun hum·bug \ˈhəm-ˌbəg\
: language or behavior that is false or meant to deceive people
: someone or something that is not honest or true
: a hard peppermint candy
Full Definition of HUMBUG
1
a : something designed to deceive and mislead b : a willfully false, deceptive, or insincere person
2
: an attitude or spirit of pretense and deception
4
British : a hard usually mint-flavored candy
— hum·bug·gery \-ˌbə-g(ə-)rē\ noun
See humbug defined for English-language learners
See humbug defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of HUMBUG
origin unknown
Synonym Discussion of HUMBUG
imposture, fraud, sham, fake, humbug, counterfeit mean a thing made to seem other than it is. imposture applies to any situation in which a spurious object or performance is passed off as genuine <their claim of environmental concern is an imposture>. fraud usually implies a deliberate perversion of the truth <the diary was exposed as a fraud>. sham applies to fraudulent imitation of a real thing or action <condemned the election as a sham>. fake implies an imitation of or substitution for the genuine but does not necessarily imply dishonesty <these jewels are fakes; the real ones are in the vault>. humbug suggests elaborate pretense usually so flagrant as to be transparent <creating publicity by foisting humbugs on a gullible public>. counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable <20-dollar bills that were counterfeits>.
2humbug
verb
hum·buggedhum·bug·ging
Definition of HUMBUG
transitive verb
intransitive verb
: to engage in a hoax or deception
First Known Use of HUMBUG
1751
Related to HUMBUG
- Synonyms
- bamboozle, beguile, bluff, buffalo, burn, catch, con, cozen, delude, dupe, fake out, fool, gaff, gammon, gull, have, have on [chiefly British], hoax, hoodwink, hornswoggle, deceive, juggle, misguide, misinform, mislead, snooker, snow, spoof, string along, sucker, suck in, take in, trick
- Antonyms
- undeceive
HUMBUGGERY Defined for Kids
humbug
noun hum·bug \ˈhəm-ˌbəg\
Definition of HUMBUG for Kids
1
: fraud 3 <“… the Wonderful Wizard of Oz was nothing more than a humbug!” — L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz>
2
: nonsense
Learn More About HUMBUG
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: humdingerPrevious Word in the Dictionary: Humboldt's lilyAll Words Near: humbug
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up humbug? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).