as in food
something that maintains or stimulates the intellect
we have reached a cultural low if reality television is regarded as pabulum for the masses
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Recent Examples of pabulum
On their face, Grok’s responses seem at least as coherent as some of the bland crisis-management pabulum that comes from prominent figures facing their own controversies.
—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
2 Jan. 2026
This was culture as interchangeable primetime pabulum; three minutes apiece for the acts to impress the new judges and boost sales.
—
Mike McCahill,
Variety,
8 May 2023
Twitter account, which spouted pabulum about the decency of the human spirit, became extremely popular.
—
New York Times,
17 Nov. 2021
Try to imagine Britain’s prime minister rallying his nation to fight the Nazi war machine armed with this progressive pabulum.
—
Joseph Loconte,
National Review,
9 Sep. 2020
His onscreen counterpart in the film adaptation of this story, Memoir of a Murderer, trades in this complexity for more standard antihero pabulum (his only desire is to keep Eunhui safe).
—
Alana Mohamed,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2019
The pabulum that passes for most reviews is an insult to the intelligence of most readers.
—
Christian Lorentzen,
Harper's magazine,
10 Apr. 2019
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
2 Jan. 2026
This was culture as interchangeable primetime pabulum; three minutes apiece for the acts to impress the new judges and boost sales.
—
Mike McCahill,
Variety,
8 May 2023
Twitter account, which spouted pabulum about the decency of the human spirit, became extremely popular.
—
New York Times,
17 Nov. 2021
Try to imagine Britain’s prime minister rallying his nation to fight the Nazi war machine armed with this progressive pabulum.
—
Joseph Loconte,
National Review,
9 Sep. 2020
His onscreen counterpart in the film adaptation of this story, Memoir of a Murderer, trades in this complexity for more standard antihero pabulum (his only desire is to keep Eunhui safe).
—
Alana Mohamed,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2019
The pabulum that passes for most reviews is an insult to the intelligence of most readers.
—
Christian Lorentzen,
Harper's magazine,
10 Apr. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pabulum
Noun
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The organization warned that as search-and-rescue teams begin to scale back operations, humanitarian needs—particularly food, medical care and protection services—could intensify rather than diminish.
-
Intestinal infections, which caused severe diarrhea and dehydration, were common in 1776 because of poor sanitation and contaminated food and water, especially in military camps, per NIH and NLM.
Noun
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The new Clear Protein Refreshers deliver 10 grams of protein, three grams of fiber, collagen, electrolytes, prebiotics, and 45 mg of caffeine for lasting nourishment and a light boost.
-
When movement is restricted, when stress accumulates, when sleep is neglected, when nourishment is poor, and when our nervous system is overwhelmed, imbalance begins to appear.
Cite this Entry
“Pabulum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pabulum. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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