noun
balderdash
BAWL-duh-dash
noun
1
Nonsense; foolish or meaningless talk.
"He dismissed the whole conspiracy theory as balderdash."
"That excuse is pure balderdash and you know it."
How to Use Balderdash
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA slightly old-fashioned, humorous way of calling something nonsense.
When to use it
Fairly formal or old-fashioned in tone; often used for comic effect.
Common pairings
utter balderdash
sheer balderdash
Word Forms
balderdashed past tense, balderdashes singular
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Etymology
Origin uncertain — possibly from an old English term for a mixed, cheap drink of wine, beer, and other liquids, later applied to any jumbled nonsense.