1. Pretentious or silly talk or writing
   "The politician's speech was full of humbug";
   - baloney [informal], boloney [informal], bilgewater [informal], bosh [informal], drool, taradiddle [informal], tarradiddle [informal], tommyrot [informal], tosh [Brit, informal], twaddle [informal]
    
2. Communication (written or spoken) intended to deceive
   "The politician's promises were dismissed as mere humbug by sceptical voters";
   - snake oil
    
3. [Brit] Boiled mint sweet
   "She always kept a bag of humbugs in her purse"

1. Trick or deceive
   "The con artist tried to humbug unsuspecting tourists"

Derived forms: humbugs, humbugging, humbugged

Type of: bunk [informal], cozen [literary], deceit, deceive, deception, delude, hokum [informal], lead on, meaninglessness, misrepresentation, nonsense, nonsensicality

Encyclopedia: Humbug, California