claptrap

claptrap
Synonyms and related words:
absurdity, amphigory, argument, argument by analogy, argumentum ad baculum, argumentum ad captandum, argumentum ad hominem, babble, babblement, bad case, balderdash, balls, baloney, begging the question, bibble-babble, blabber, blague, blather, bombast, bosh, bull, bullshit, bunk, bunkum, circular argument, crap, crowd-pleasing argument, double-talk, drivel, drool, empty words, eyewash, fallacy, fiddle-faddle, fiddledeedee, flam, flapdoodle, flimflam, flummery, folderol, formal fallacy, fudge, fustian, gabble, galimatias, gammon, gibber, gibberish, gibble-gabble, gobbledygook, hocus-pocus, hogwash, hoke, hokum, hooey, humbug, humbuggery, hysteron proteron, insincere argument, jabber, jargon, jiggery-pokery, logical fallacy, malarkey, material fallacy, mere rhetoric, moonshine, mumbo jumbo, narrishkeit, niaiserie, non sequitur, nonsense, pack of nonsense, palaver, paralogism, petitio principii, philosophism, prate, prattle, pseudosyllogism, rant, rigamarole, rigmarole, rodomontade, rubbish, skimble-skamble, solecism, sophism, sophistry, stuff and nonsense, stultiloquence, trash, trumpery, twaddle, twattle, twiddle-twaddle, vaporing, verbal fallacy, waffling, weak point

Moby Thesaurus. . 1996.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Claptrap — Clap trap (kl[a^]p tr[a^]p ), n. 1. A contrivance for clapping in theaters. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. A trick or device to gain applause, especially pretentious but empty rhetoric; humbug. [1913 Webster +PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Claptrap — Clap trap , a. Contrived for the purpose of making a show, or gaining applause; deceptive; unreal. [1913 Webster] || …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • claptrap — c.1730, trick to catch applause, a stage term; from CLAP (Cf. clap) (v.) + TRAP (Cf. trap) (n.). Extended sense of cheap, showy language is from 1819; hence nonsense, rubbish …   Etymology dictionary

  • claptrap — ► NOUN ▪ nonsense. ORIGIN originally denoting something designed to elicit applause …   English terms dictionary

  • claptrap — [klap′trap΄] n. [ CLAP1 + TRAP1] showy, insincere, empty talk or writing, intended only to get applause or notice …   English World dictionary

  • claptrap — n. nonsense; something worthless. D This is enough claptrap. I’m leaving. □ I know claptrap when I see it, and your play was claptrap …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • claptrap — I. noun Etymology: 2clap; from its attempt to win applause Date: 1799 pretentious nonsense ; trash II. adjective Date: 1815 characterized by or suggestive of claptrap; especially of a cheap showy nature < claptrap sentiment > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • claptrap — clap|trap [ˈklæptræp] n [U] [Date: 1800 1900; Origin: claptrap something intended to make the people watching a show clap (18 19 centuries)] informal talk that is stupid or shows a lack of knowledge ▪ romantic claptrap …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • claptrap — [[t]klæ̱ptræp[/t]] N UNCOUNT (disapproval) If you describe something that someone says as claptrap, you mean that it is stupid or foolish although it may sound important. [INFORMAL] This is the claptrap that politicians have peddled many times… …   English dictionary

  • claptrap — /klap trap /, n. 1. pretentious but insincere or empty language: His speeches seem erudite but analysis reveals them to be mere claptrap. 2. any artifice or expedient for winning applause or impressing the public. [1720 30; CLAP1 + TRAP1] Syn. 1 …   Universalium

  • claptrap — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. nonsense (See unmeaningness). II (Roget s IV) n. Syn. empty talk, drivel, bombast, bunk; see nonsense 1 . III (Roget s 3 Superthesaurus) (VOCABULARY WORD) n. [KLAP TRAP] pretentious writing or talk… …   English dictionary for students

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