noun
hogwash
HOG-wosh
Hogwash (noun) means Nonsense; talk or writing that is foolish or untrue. Example: “His excuse for being late was pure hogwash.”
noun
1
Nonsense; talk or writing that is foolish or untrue.
"His excuse for being late was pure hogwash."
"She dismissed the rumor as hogwash and moved on."
2
Kitchen scraps and leftover swill mixed together to feed pigs.
"The old farm still fed its pigs on hogwash made from vegetable peelings."
How to use hogwash
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsually just means "nonsense" or "rubbish" — the pig-feed meaning is now rare.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
pure hogwash
that's hogwash
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Word forms
- Plural
- hogwashes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
His excuse for being late was pure _____.
Etymology
From Middle English hoggewasch, literally "hog's wash" — kitchen slop fed to pigs. The "nonsense" meaning grew naturally from the idea of worthless swill.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “hogwash” mean?
The word “hogwash” means nonsense; talk or writing that is foolish or untrue. In plain terms, usually just means "nonsense" or "rubbish" — the pig-feed meaning is now rare.
How do you pronounce “hogwash”?
“Hogwash” is pronounced HOG-wosh (/ˈhɔɡ.wɑʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “hogwash” in a sentence?
Here is “hogwash” used in a sentence: “His excuse for being late was pure hogwash.”
What part of speech is “hogwash”?
“Hogwash” is a noun.
Where does the word “hogwash” come from?
The word “hogwash” comes from Middle English. From Middle English hoggewasch, literally "hog's wash" — kitchen slop fed to pigs. The "nonsense" meaning grew naturally from the idea of worthless swill.
How many meanings does “hogwash” have?
“Hogwash” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: nonsense; talk or writing that is foolish or untrue.
