as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
the belief that soda is made out of acid is just piffle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to muddle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of piffle
Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 June 2024
To note that Gloria!, the directing debut of Italian actor-singer-songwriter Margherita Vicario, is vapid, pseudo-feminist, sentimental piffle would be entirely accurate.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The irony of the lightweight piffle being resurrected 26 years later isn’t lost on the group.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 21 July 2023
People who are too cowardly to put their names behind their allegations are hiding in the shadows, using the anonymity of dark money laws to try to raise doubts in the minds of voters by spreading inflammatory charges that amount to piffle.
—cleveland, 12 Sep. 2021
The whole story now seems like so much piffle, except for the sons who lost their mother and a princess who lost her life.
—John Anderson, WSJ, 7 Oct. 2021
It’s a not-quite-living imitation of a movie, a self-parody that lacks even a touch of humor—because, at the slightest sting of wit, its entire membrane of fakery would burst and leave hardly a piffle of vapor behind.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2021
The fact that all those involved in discussing this question have heads full of tosh and piffle does not make for productive debates.
—Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2020
Though often dismissed as superstitious piffle, ghosts have proved surprisingly durable.
—The Economist, 28 Oct. 2017
The Economist, 31 Oct. 2019
Noun
Too often, the competing streaming algorithms at Netflix, Max, and Amazon Prime Video push a smattering of undifferentiated piffle.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 June 2024
To note that Gloria!, the directing debut of Italian actor-singer-songwriter Margherita Vicario, is vapid, pseudo-feminist, sentimental piffle would be entirely accurate.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The irony of the lightweight piffle being resurrected 26 years later isn’t lost on the group.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 21 July 2023
People who are too cowardly to put their names behind their allegations are hiding in the shadows, using the anonymity of dark money laws to try to raise doubts in the minds of voters by spreading inflammatory charges that amount to piffle.
—cleveland, 12 Sep. 2021
The whole story now seems like so much piffle, except for the sons who lost their mother and a princess who lost her life.
—John Anderson, WSJ, 7 Oct. 2021
It’s a not-quite-living imitation of a movie, a self-parody that lacks even a touch of humor—because, at the slightest sting of wit, its entire membrane of fakery would burst and leave hardly a piffle of vapor behind.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2021
The fact that all those involved in discussing this question have heads full of tosh and piffle does not make for productive debates.
—Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2020
Though often dismissed as superstitious piffle, ghosts have proved surprisingly durable.
—The Economist, 28 Oct. 2017
Verb
The Ritz, a smart London hotel where Margaret Thatcher spent her last days, is in fine fettle, turning a neat annual profit and valued in the region of £800m—not bad for a property bought for a piffling £75m in 1995.
—The Economist, 31 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piffle
Noun
-
Writing nonsense just to make word / article quotas.—
Harman Dayal,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
-
The Baltimore Sun owes Baltimore Ravens placekicker Justin Tucker a headline apology and let this nonsense go.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Tweaking/changing systems may show adaptability, but also muddled thinking.—
Mark Carey,
The Athletic,
9 Feb. 2025
-
In a tall glass, gently muddle an additional three to five mint leaves.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The plummeting property values bled Gary of tax revenue for roads, schools, street lights, firefighters, garbage pickup.—
Paige Williams,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
-
City government is closest to the needs of residents’ everyday lives – snow plowing, garbage pickup, street lights, road repair, public safety, sensible economic development for low property taxes.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Even goosebumps—once a handy way to fluff up body hair for warmth or protect against predators—are now seen as little more than a fleeting moment of aesthetic drama.—
Julia Craven,
Popular Science,
13 Feb. 2025
-
By fluffing up the fibers, the technique enhances the fabric's insulation.—
Theresa Holland,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
View 6 Images Unlike cats, our vision is pretty rubbish in very low light conditions.—
Paul Ridden,
New Atlas,
17 Jan. 2025
-
On the evening of January 14, a woman was arrested after allegedly setting multiple piles of rubbish and trash on fire, Jim McDonnell, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, said at a news conference last week.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Did the practitioners of the Pax sometimes blunder?—
Bret Stephens,
The Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2025
-
Trump blundered forward before experts from the National Transportation Safety Board announced a careful, deliberative process to determine the cause and before the black boxes were recovered from the freezing Potomac.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The property also grows its own herbs, greens, nuts, berries, and edible flowers.—
Bianca Salonga,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Focus on whole foods like fruits, leafy green vegetables, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The whole thing was absolutely mind boggling to me.—
Esther Kang,
People.com,
12 Feb. 2025
-
Think about it, there was a time where the concept of getting email on your phone was mind boggling, but that was the premise behind the Blackberry.—
Lauren Parker,
WWD,
15 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near piffle
Cite this Entry
“Piffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piffle. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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