nonsense

[non-sens, -suhns]

noun

1. words or language having little or no sense or meaning.

   Synonyms: twaddle, trumpery, trash, tommyrot, rubbish, rot, poppycock, piffle, moonshine, humbug, hooey, hokum, guff, gibberish, foolishness, folderol, flapdoodle, fiddle-faddle, drivel, bunk, bull, bosh, blether, blatherskite, blather, blarney, bilge water, bilge, baloney, balderdash

2. conduct, action, etc., that is senseless, foolish, or absurd.

   to have tolerated enough nonsense.

3. impudent, insubordinate, or otherwise objectionable behavior.

   He doesn't have to take that nonsense from you.

4. something absurd or fatuous.

   the utter nonsense of such a suggestion.

5. anything of trifling importance or of little or no use.

6. Genetics.,  a DNA sequence that does not code for an amino acid and is not transcribed (sense ).

nonsense

/ nɒnˈsɛnsɪkəl, ˈnɒnsəns /

noun

1. something that has or makes no sense; unintelligible language; drivel

2. conduct or action that is absurd

3. foolish or evasive behaviour or manners

   she'll stand no nonsense

4. See no-nonsense

5. things of little or no value or importance; trash

interjection

1. an exclamation of disagreement

nonsense

1. Relating to a mutation in a structural gene that changes a nucleotide triplet into a stop codon, thus prematurely terminating the polypeptide chain during protein synthesis.

2. See more at point mutation

Other Word Forms

• nonsensically adverb
• nonsensicalness noun
• nonsensical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nonsense¹

First recorded in 1605–15; non- + sense

Idioms and Phrases

see stuff and nonsense.

Example Sentences

The German officially took over on 1 January - two and a half months after his unveiling - but England have only played four games since, with Wayne Rooney describing the fixtures as "nonsense" in any case.

From BBC

The Australian government has dismissed the suggestion that Israeli interference played a role, with Burke, Australia's home affairs minister, telling the ABC it was "complete nonsense".

From BBC

Blur even satirized grunge music with its megahit “Song 2,” a song of nonsense lyrics and unearned vim.

From Los Angeles Times

This is all nonsense, and not just because Swift isn’t giving up her cats.

From Salon

“For a city that claims to be in fiscal crisis, this is nonsense,” Umhofer added.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absurdity 
• babble 
• baloney 
• bunk 
• craziness 
• drivel 
• folly 
• foolishness 
• gibberish 
• madness 
• rubbish 
• silliness 
• stupidity 
• trash