hokum

noun

ho·​kum ˈhō-kəm How to pronounce hokum (audio)
Synonyms of hokumnext
1
: a device used (as by showmen) to evoke a desired audience response
2
: pretentious nonsense : bunkum

Synonyms of hokum

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Examples of hokum in a Sentence

Everyone knows his story is pure hokum. His new film is yet another piece of Hollywood hokum.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Let’s dive in and see what the hype, and the hokum (because there is some), is all about. — Big Think, 22 Aug. 2025 What finally holds all the hokum together is Pitt. — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 25 June 2025 Is this common household spice really an effective tool in the garden, or is this just influencer hokum? — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2025 In past case studies of argyria, a common source is hokum therapies promoted by naturopaths and their ilk. — Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hokum

Word History

Etymology

probably blend of hocus-pocus and bunkum

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hokum was in 1906

Rhymes for hokum

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Browse Nearby Words

Hok-lo
hokum
Hokusai
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Cite this Entry

“Hokum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hokum. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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