HUMBUGGERIES Synonyms: 251 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'humbug' different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of humbug are counterfeit , fake , fraud , imposture , and sham . While all these words mean "a thing made to seem other than it is," humbug suggests elaborate pretense usually so flagrant as to be transparent. // creating publicity by foisting humbugs on a gullible public

Q: When would 'counterfeit' be a good substitute for 'humbug'?

Although the words counterfeit and humbug have much in common, counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable. // 20-dollar bills that were counterfeits

Q: When might 'fake' be a better fit than 'humbug'?

The synonyms fake and humbug are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

Q: When can 'fraud' be used instead of 'humbug'?

The words fraud and humbug are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fraud usually implies a deliberate perversion of the truth. // the diary was exposed as a fraud

Q: When could 'imposture' be used to replace 'humbug'?

The words imposture and humbug can be used in similar contexts, but 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

Q: When is 'sham' a more appropriate choice than 'humbug'?

While in some cases nearly identical to humbug , sham applies to fraudulent imitation of a real thing or action. // condemned the election as a sham

humbug 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈhəm-ˌbəg

Definition of humbug

as in hoax

an imitation that is passed off as genuine tests showed that the "old" map of America was a cleverly made humbug

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

original

as in nonsense

language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense those UFO stories are a lot of humbug

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fraud

one who makes false claims of identity or expertise one humbug after another claimed to be the miraculously surviving daughter of the Russian czar

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humbug

2 of 3

verb

as in to fool

to cause to believe what is untrue humbugged into believing that the bones were the skeleton of a prehistoric human being

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humbuggery

3 of 3

noun (2)

as in nuts

language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense a lot of humbuggery about a mean old witch that lives in the woods

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word humbug different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of humbug are counterfeit, fake, fraud, imposture, and sham. While all these words mean "a thing made to seem other than it is," humbug suggests elaborate pretense usually so flagrant as to be transparent.

creating publicity by foisting humbugs on a gullible public

When would counterfeit be a good substitute for humbug?

Although the words counterfeit and humbug have much in common, counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable.

20-dollar bills that were counterfeits

When might fake be a better fit than humbug?

The synonyms fake and humbug are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

When can fraud be used instead of humbug?

The words fraud and humbug are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fraud usually implies a deliberate perversion of the truth.

the diary was exposed as a fraud

When could imposture be used to replace humbug?

The words imposture and humbug can be used in similar contexts, but 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

When is sham a more appropriate choice than humbug?

While in some cases nearly identical to humbug, sham applies to fraudulent imitation of a real thing or action.

condemned the election as a sham

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of humbug

Noun

San Diego theaters have lined up a bounty of seasonal stage shows designed to delight even the biggest humbugs. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2025 These small marine reef fish are often known by the peculiar common name, the humbug damselfish (Figure 1). — Grrlscientist, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024

Verb

In its verb form, to be humbugged is to be deceived or be the victim of a hoax. — Elizabeth Wolfe and Douglas S. Wood, CNN, 21 Dec. 2019 See All Example Sentences for humbug

Recent Examples of Synonyms for humbug

Noun

Yet, our president is dismissing all of the concerns as a hoax.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026
After roughly two days of investigation, police informed the public the entire panic was driven by a hoax.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of hoax

Noun

In the eyes of the conferences, and CFP committee, the allure of a postseason bid is the carrot that would dangle in front of them so that fans would look the other way at the nonsense this creates for the football played in September or October.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
My fellow relishers of Trowbridge nonsense, today is our day of jubilee.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of nonsense

Noun

That changed after the 2020 presidential election, when secretaries of state in places such as Arizona, Georgia and Michigan were thrust into battles over election results, certification and false claims of widespread fraud.

— Thom Reilly, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
As Vanity Fair reported at the time, the article led to an all-hands meeting at The Times where some staffers questioned the choice to run a soft profile on a woman who had been convicted of fraud and was about to head to prison.

— Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of fraud

Noun

Here was my chance to get out of London, this counterfeit of death with its everywhere rage and its moribund culture and its smug population and its streets steeped in resentment and the sky pressing down like a chloroform rag.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
The distinction between authentic and counterfeit is becoming increasingly difficult to discern.

— Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of counterfeit

Noun

Tucker recommends foods like extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish like salmon, nuts and seeds — all staples of both diets, which also encourage eating whole grains, chicken, and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2026
If your kidneys are healthy, eating magnesium-rich foods like nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains, and leafy vegetables is unlikely to cause toxicity.

— MD Published, Verywell Health, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of nuts

Verb

Those conducting the online scams are sometimes willing con artists, and other times trafficked foreign nationals -- many Chinese -- tricked themselves into work and held in prison-like compounds.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
But a few times in recent years, Hollins, a veterinarian, tricked Jonathan and slid a cotton swab into the giant tortoise’s mouth to get a saliva sample.

— Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of trick

Browse Nearby Words

humbly

humbug

humbugged

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Style

“Humbug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humbug. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of humbug

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Synonyms of humbug

noun (1)

verb

noun (2)

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

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9 Words for Impostors

Words of Deception and Trickery

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

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More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

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