pabulum

noun

ˈpa-byə-ləm How to pronounce pabulum (audio)
Definition of pabulumnext
as in food
something that maintains or stimulates the intellect we have reached a cultural low if reality television is regarded as pabulum for the masses

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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 pabulum On their face, Grok’s responses seem at least as coherent as some of the bland crisis-management pabulum that comes from prominent figures facing their own controversies. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 Jan. 2026 This was culture as interchangeable primetime pabulum; three minutes apiece for the acts to impress the new judges and boost sales. — Mike McCahill, Variety, 8 May 2023 Twitter account, which spouted pabulum about the decency of the human spirit, became extremely popular. — New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021 Try to imagine Britain’s prime minister rallying his nation to fight the Nazi war machine armed with this progressive pabulum. — Joseph Loconte, National Review, 9 Sep. 2020 His onscreen counterpart in the film adaptation of this story, Memoir of a Murderer, trades in this complexity for more standard antihero pabulum (his only desire is to keep Eunhui safe). — Alana Mohamed, The Atlantic, 11 June 2019 The pabulum that passes for most reviews is an insult to the intelligence of most readers. — Christian Lorentzen, Harper's magazine, 10 Apr. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pabulum
  1. food
  2. nourishment
Noun
  • This would be particularly relevant in contested environments where drones can observe roads, locate logistics convoys and attack vehicles carrying ammunition, fuel, food and other essential supplies.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Caffeine hits your bloodstream faster when there’s no food to slow it down, setting you up for a crash later, endocrinologists told Parade.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of food
Noun
  • Beloved returns as an unquenchable force demanding more and more nourishment and attention from Sethe.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
  • An oil-in-serum pulls the nourishment of oil into a lighter, serum-style formula.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of nourishment

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pablum
pabulum
pace
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Cite this Entry

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

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