as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
stories about the inn being haunted are just a lot of hooey
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Recent Examples of hooey
Cinderella Man is unalloyed emotional manipulation, and while the cast all dig into the maudlin hooey — Paul Giamatti is especially good as the crusty trainer — nothing here has the spark of real life.
—
Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
The old line about the 28 gauge having a square load is hooey.
—Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 11 Dec. 2019
Indeed, some devices are more powerful than others, and a few are just plain hooey.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
But as comforting as a toddy may be, the notion of a dose of booze as a cold cure has always struck me as a load of hooey.
—M. Carrie Allan, charlotteobserver, 23 Jan. 2018
The scene where Skerrett has a highland fling with a blond, bearded hunk is more than a wee bit full of hooey.
—David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Jan. 2018
There was a whole lot of narrative hooey to explain the theme, which mostly had to do with caterpillars becoming butterflies, girls becoming women, et cetera.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2017
Contrary to the previous load of hooey dispensed by Junior and the first family, this dude was not a translator.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 18 July 2017
And that 38 percent believes accusations that Trump's campaign conspired with Russian hackers and spies to influence the election's outcome -- and the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the election -- are nothing but hooey.
—Douglas Perry, OregonLive.com, 15 June 2017
Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
The old line about the 28 gauge having a square load is hooey.
—Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 11 Dec. 2019
Indeed, some devices are more powerful than others, and a few are just plain hooey.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
But as comforting as a toddy may be, the notion of a dose of booze as a cold cure has always struck me as a load of hooey.
—M. Carrie Allan, charlotteobserver, 23 Jan. 2018
The scene where Skerrett has a highland fling with a blond, bearded hunk is more than a wee bit full of hooey.
—David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Jan. 2018
There was a whole lot of narrative hooey to explain the theme, which mostly had to do with caterpillars becoming butterflies, girls becoming women, et cetera.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2017
Contrary to the previous load of hooey dispensed by Junior and the first family, this dude was not a translator.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 18 July 2017
And that 38 percent believes accusations that Trump's campaign conspired with Russian hackers and spies to influence the election's outcome -- and the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the election -- are nothing but hooey.
—Douglas Perry, OregonLive.com, 15 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooey
Noun
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Actor James Tolkan, who was Tom Cruise’s no-nonsense commander in Top Gun and Marty McFly’s even less-nonsense Vice Principal in the Back to the Future films, has died.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The notion of characterizing such a move as anything more than penalizing the public — which is finally balking at more taxation — is nonsense.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While 90% of food allergies involve exposure to the top nine allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, dairy/milk, eggs, sesame, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish), people can be allergic to many other foods.—
Dr. Sonja O'Leary,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
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While the Middle East isn’t as large an export market for California farmers and ranchers as Canada, the European Union or Mexico; the United Arab Emirates ranks in the top 10 as the nuts, strawberries and other products exported there are distributed across the region.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Down where the Pigeons toiled, two-foot piles of garbage cluttered blocks lined with storage-unit facilities, budget hotels, abandoned RVs and parking lots sealed with rusted razor wire.—
TIM CRAIG THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2026
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Her body was found wrapped in blankets and garbage bags in the bed of a second-story room.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Piccioli sent out a mishmash of styles from all over a fashion map that seems to have been drawn five or six years ago (oversize sneakers, faux couture gestures like capes and feathers and blah sportswear).—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
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Selling was easy, even if the returns for McMann and Laughton in particular were kinda blah and the Leafs were unable to execute any major roster shakeup or take advantage of their ability to retain salary.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For many centuries and probably longer, the seas and oceans of the world have been used as a source of food but also as an enormous dumping ground for all sorts of rubbish.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The study confirmed direct dumping by boats, with evidence of bags full of rubbish thrown overboard.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Audiences can take in two shows, with lots of silliness and some heart.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Mar. 2026
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Various clips are making the rounds on social media where Chiefs fans are enjoying seeing Jones’ latest silliness.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The evidence is irrefutable — a pile of drool atop a drenched spot on your pillow.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
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Plus, Helen Jo promised a drool-worthy sour cream and onion dip will be paired with it.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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If not for the stupidity of Joe Biden and the Democrats, ICE would have an easier job.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Smart, skilled, hardworking people gracefully put up with all manner of tragedy, stupidity, and institutional rot.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hooey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooey. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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