humbug

Spoto’s work is not fully dismissed, but he’s often thought of as something of an academic humbug.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

As usual, they’re backing their promise with lies and other humbug.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2024

"Raising money and going for valuation every few days is all humbug."

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2024

If holiday clutter has you more bah humbug than merry, these tips from professional organizers around Seattle might make your life easier before and after the holidays, and well into the new year.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 15, 2023

Much of her lore was mere rubbish and humbug, nor did she know the true spells from the false.

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

“He used these humbugs, as he called them, to create excitement and bring people in,” Wilson says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 25, 2026

Joined by his wife Katie, he plunges into another assignment, as he tries to get the "spirit of Christmas" back from the dastardly humbugs.

From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2024

In Poe’s lifetime, a handful of well-connected American scientists advanced plans to build national institutions to distinguish “real working men in the way of science” from charlatans, quacks, and humbugs.

From Slate ● Aug. 2, 2021

Heroic detective, pilot, poet, magician and victor over all bullies and humbugs, animal or human, Freddy remains a model to us all.

From New York Times ● Mar. 12, 2020

Most demons thought that the Wrights were humbugs.

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep

“Because,” he added, “Although I ain’t been in the city long, I ain’t to be humbugged; it won’t do for you to try to put off your confounded mock turtles on me!”

From Slate ● Apr. 29, 2018

The sooner America knows we are not going to be humbugged the better it is.

From Time Magazine Archive

P. T. Barnum recorded the fact that the American people delight in being humbugged, and such is still the national mood.

From Time Magazine Archive

“I think the Captain will find he has humbugged himself this time; I think he’ll have to walk down to the colony after the race,” he said.

From Luck at the Diamond Fields by Dalrymple J. Belgrave

It is incredible that intelligent people should be humbugged with such a fallacious proposition as Gresham’s so-called “law.”

From The Arena Volume 18, No. 93, August, 1897 by Various

Stranded in his "useless position" at Transport, Reith seethed while Churchill put together his "rotten" wartime coalition full of "humbugging and sycophantic" ministers.

From Time Magazine Archive

Faith, I'd swap soon enough if you weren't humbugging me.

From Where There is Nothing Being Volume I of Plays for an Irish Theatre by W. B. (William Butler) Yeats

These views are not popular with the electors, and even the mob would entertain a strong suspicion that you were humbugging them.”

From Tales from Blackwood Volume 4 by Various

"They 'll say I 'm humbugging this old lady," was the constant self-reproach he kept repeating.

From The Martins Of Cro' Martin, Vol. I (of II) by Charles James Lever

"Arrah! don't be humbugging me, Mr. Crow," said the other.

From The Martins Of Cro' Martin, Vol. II (of II) by Charles James Lever