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

In a clever touch, Sphere lets us continue to see the monstrous green face, now neutered and ridiculous, mouth along as the panicked geek apologizes for being a humbug.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025

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

She added: "She was 43 years without my father, 30 years without a cigarette and 20 years without a drink but never without a humbug."

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 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

Chronicling the history of such fakers as Smelcer, Young offers a long history of the hoax, beginning with a series of famous humbugs from P. T. Barnum’s sideshow.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2017

Hagrid’s coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets — bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags ... finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling

“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

He was a sharp, brisk sort of an old fellow; and I could perceive, at a glance there was no chance of his being humbugged by any made-up story.

From Lost Lenore The Adventures of a Rolling Stone by Charles A. Beach

“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

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

All the members of Parliament used to be skylarking about the city, playing tricks on one another, and humbugging the Castle people.

From Jack Hinton The Guardsman by Charles James Lever

I’ll take precious care nobody don’t come the humbugging game over her.

From The Fatal Cord And The Falcon Rover by Mayne Reid

I am to be shot out, and the old brute’s going to preach me a humbugging canting sermon first.”

From Haviland's Chum by Bertram Mitford

It’s surprising how these humbugging old myths survive in the country, and the further away from Town you get, the more you find of them.”

From Dorrien of Cranston by Bertram Mitford