claptrap (ˈklæpˌtræp
)
Definitions
noun
informal- contrived but foolish talk
- insincere and pretentious talk ⇒
politicians' claptrap
Word Origin
C18 (in the sense: something contrived to elicit applause): from clapC18 (in the sense: something contrived to elicit applause): from 1 + + trapC18 (in the sense: something contrived to elicit applause): from + 1Synonyms
View thesaurus entry=
nonsense,
rubbish,
rot,
crap,
garbage,
trash,
bunk,
bullshit,
balls,
bull,
shit,
hot air,
tosh,
flannel,
pap,
cobblers,
bilge,
humbug,
drivel,
malarkey,
twaddle,
tripe,
affectation,
guff,
blarney,
bombast,
moonshine,
fabrication,
insincerity,
hogwash,
hokum,
bizzo,
bull's wool,
piffle,
poppycock,
bosh,
eyewash,
tommyrot,
horsefeathers
rodomontade,
bunkum or buncombe
Usage examples
He's got the guts to lash out against ecclesiastical claptrap.
, Absolute Truths (1994)Some of that effect in this book is achieved by existential and other such claptrap from Khosla himself.
India Today (1996)"It is hard to understand how a university with such a great public reputation can get caught up in this cultural claptrap.
New Zealand Herald (2003)FORGIVE my cynical laughter at all of the rhetoric and claptrap regarding the so called Fourth Grace.
Liverpool Daily Post and Echo (2002)`One: what the Chinese are essentially about, despite all the Communist claptrap , is money.
, Tibet - Behind the Ice Curtain (1990)