humbug

In a clever touch, Sphere lets us continue to see the monstrous green face, now neutered and ridiculous, mouth along as the panicked geek apologizes for being a humbug.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025

"Raising money and going for valuation every few days is all humbug."

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2024

If holiday clutter has you more bah humbug than merry, these tips from professional organizers around Seattle might make your life easier before and after the holidays, and well into the new year.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 15, 2023

In her more measured than humbug review, Bahr said “Spirited” “comes up short as a musical,” but “is still pretty enjoyable.”

From Washington Times ● Nov. 11, 2022

From their ranks at Corinthian Hall, Wednesday night’s audience selected a five-man committee to test Maggie and Leah and decide whether the rappings were a humbug.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

“He used these humbugs, as he called them, to create excitement and bring people in,” Wilson says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 25, 2026

Joined by his wife Katie, he plunges into another assignment, as he tries to get the "spirit of Christmas" back from the dastardly humbugs.

From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2024

In Poe’s lifetime, a handful of well-connected American scientists advanced plans to build national institutions to distinguish “real working men in the way of science” from charlatans, quacks, and humbugs.

From Slate ● Aug. 2, 2021

Heroic detective, pilot, poet, magician and victor over all bullies and humbugs, animal or human, Freddy remains a model to us all.

From New York Times ● Mar. 12, 2020

Hagrid’s coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets — bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags ... finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling

“Because,” he added, “Although I ain’t been in the city long, I ain’t to be humbugged; it won’t do for you to try to put off your confounded mock turtles on me!”

From Slate ● Apr. 29, 2018

The sooner America knows we are not going to be humbugged the better it is.

From Time Magazine Archive

P. T. Barnum recorded the fact that the American people delight in being humbugged, and such is still the national mood.

From Time Magazine Archive

“I think the Captain will find he has humbugged himself this time; I think he’ll have to walk down to the colony after the race,” he said.

From Luck at the Diamond Fields by Belgrave, Dalrymple J.

Tell me, too, is the story of the Dutch Minister, who was humbugged by false despatches last summer in Paris, known in Ireland?

From Charles Lever, His Life in His Letters, Vol. I by Downey, Edmund

Stranded in his "useless position" at Transport, Reith seethed while Churchill put together his "rotten" wartime coalition full of "humbugging and sycophantic" ministers.

From Time Magazine Archive

Hum′bugger, one who humbugs; Hum′buggery, the practice of humbugging.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

“Look here,” he added, calling the detective on one side, “that fellow is an infernal scoundrel, and are you sure he is not humbugging us?”

From Luck at the Diamond Fields by Belgrave, Dalrymple J.

"Arrah, it's humbugging me yez are," said Darby, roughly, while he threw himself down into his chair in apparent ill temper.

From Tom Burke Of "Ours", Volume II by Lever, Charles James

It’s surprising how these humbugging old myths survive in the country, and the further away from Town you get, the more you find of them.”

From Dorrien of Cranston by Mitford, Bertram