HUMBUG Synonyms: 250 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 2

noun

ˈhəm-ˌbəg

Definition of humbug next

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

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humbug

2 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Examples 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

Well then, the author cannot be blamed for what might be called the worldwide humbug over the robots. —

IEEE Spectrum, 16 Jan. 2024 Mean One features David Howard Thornton, known for playing Art the Clown in the Terrifier movies, as a familiar-looking green-skinned humbug in a Santa suit, living on a mountain high above the small town town of Newville. —

Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 July 2023

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

The hoax comes 10 days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Matthew Muller, a Harvard lawyer and former Marine who grew up in Sacramento County, is serving a 40-year prison sentence for kidnapping and raping Denise Huskins, now Denise Huskins Quinn, in March 2015 — events that the Vallejo Police Department initially deemed a hoax.

— Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 8 Jan. 2025