Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Foolish, deceitful, or boastful language.
  • noun Something worthless, deceptive, or insincere.
  • noun Insolent talk or behavior.
  • intransitive verb To speak foolishly or insolently.
  • intransitive verb To engage in idle conversation.
  • intransitive verb To attempt to mislead or deceive by talking nonsense.
  • adjective Very angry; incensed.
  • interjection Used to express extreme displeasure or exasperation.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun vulgar a ludicrously false statement.
  • verb vulgar to talk through one's hat.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun vulgar, slang False or exaggerated statements made to impress and deceive the listener rather than inform; nonsense.
  • noun vulgar, slang A card game in which the object is to bluff about cards laid down and to determine when one's opponents are bluffing; also known as "BS" or "I Doubt It".
  • noun vulgar, slang An object of frustration and/or disgust, often caused by a perceived deception.
  • noun literally The faeces of a bull.
  • adjective vulgar, slang Absurd, irrational, or nonsensical. Most often said of speech, information, or content.
  • verb vulgar, slang To tell lies, exaggerate; to mislead; to deceive.
  • verb vulgar, slang To have casual conversation with no real point.
  • verb vulgar, slang To come up with on the spot, to improvise poorly.
  • interjection vulgar, slang An expression of disbelief or doubt at what one has just heard.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun obscene words for unacceptable behavior
  • verb speak insincerely or without regard for facts or truths

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From bull +‎ shit. In use since the 1920s.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word bullshit.

Examples

  • The latest line in bullshit is to identify those that hate/dislike the police and having identified them attempt to win them over.

    “Ruralshire Constabulary to get TASER on the front line” « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2009

  • It gets worse, but you knew that already: ideology wrapped in bullshit is not evidence.

    Matthew Yglesias » Social Democracy as a Recession-Fighter 2009

  • I can honestly say I've never gotten more mileage out of the word bullshit than I did last week at the when I called bullshit, I wasn't responding to Karen Page personally -- she was simply voicing what everyone seems to believe and propagate: that we all lead such busy lives that we have no time to cook.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Michael Ruhlman 2010

  • I can honestly say I've never gotten more mileage out of the word bullshit than I did last week at the when I called bullshit, I wasn't responding to Karen Page personally -- she was simply voicing what everyone seems to believe and propagate: that we all lead such busy lives that we have no time to cook.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Michael Ruhlman 2010

  • I can honestly say I've never gotten more mileage out of the word bullshit than I did last week at the when I called bullshit, I wasn't responding to Karen Page personally -- she was simply voicing what everyone seems to believe and propagate: that we all lead such busy lives that we have no time to cook.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Michael Ruhlman 2010

  • I can honestly say I've never gotten more mileage out of the word bullshit than I did last week at the when I called bullshit, I wasn't responding to Karen Page personally -- she was simply voicing what everyone seems to believe and propagate: that we all lead such busy lives that we have no time to cook.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Michael Ruhlman 2010

  • Also, if anyone can explain to me what this bullshit is all about, I'd appreciate it.

    "As if I had a choice...oh well." greygirlbeast 2010

  • Also, if anyone can explain to me what this bullshit is all about, I'd appreciate it.

    "As if I had a choice...oh well." greygirlbeast 2010

  • Treehugger points us to an interesting interview with fashion designer Lika Volkova, in which she calls bullshit on a mushrooming business trend: Green clothing.

    Fast Company 2009

  • What I'm trying to say is: Just because someone tells you that are are talking bullshit, and that this kind of bullshit is best charaqcterised by calling it racist, sexist or anti-Semitic, that doesn't mean that they are "branding" you.

    Save Kiana Firouz Hal Duncan 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • my favorite use of this is "total bullshit"

    February 25, 2008

  • "Bullshit is the glue that binds us as a nation." - George Carlin on America

    October 4, 2008

  • A posh and very British way of saying "bullshit" is "poppywash". Oh, how much more decent, isn't it?

    January 15, 2013