flapdoodle
noun
flap·doo·dle ˈflap-ˌdü-dᵊl 
: nonsense
Did you know?
Combining the letters f, d, and l is a great formula for creating funny words-witness folderol, fiddlesticks, fandangle, flamdoodle, flummadiddle, and fiddledeedee. To ascribe pedigreed origins to any of those silly syllables would be fiddle-faddle. Flapdoodle certainly can't claim high-flown ancestors. Like many of its nonsensical fellows listed above, it most likely originated as an alteration of some other absurd word (fadoodle is a candidate), but its exact origins are unknown.
Synonyms
- applesauce [slang]
- balderdash
- baloney
- boloney
- beans
- bilge
- blah
- blah-blah
- blarney
- blather
- blatherskite
- blither
- bosh
- bull [slang]
- bunk
- bunkum
- buncombe
- claptrap
- codswallop [British]
- crapola [slang]
- crock
- drivel
- drool
- fiddle
- fiddle-faddle
- fiddlesticks
- flannel [British]
- folderol
- falderal
- folly
- foolishness
- fudge
- garbage
- guff
- hogwash
- hokeypokey
- hokum
- hoodoo
- hooey
- horsefeathers [slang]
- humbug
- humbuggery
- jazz
- malarkey
- malarky
- moonshine
- muck
- nerts [slang]
- nonsense
- nuts
- piffle
- poppycock
- punk
- rot
- rubbish
- senselessness
- silliness
- slush
- stupidity
- taradiddle
- tarradiddle
- tommyrot
- tosh
- trash
- trumpery
- twaddle
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The speech was a lot of flapdoodle about the economy. a clear-eyed assessment of the problem minus the usual flapdoodle
Word History
Etymology
origin unknown
First Known Use
1878, in the meaning defined above
flapdoodle
noun
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense a clear-eyed assessment of the problem minus the usual flapdoodle Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- nonsense
- garbage
- nuts
- rubbish
- silliness
- stupidity
- balderdash
- blatherskite
- folderol
- blah
- twaddle
- baloney
- claptrap
- jazz
- drool
- bunk
- bunkum
- hokum
- hogwash
- blather
- piffle
- humbuggery
- poppycock
- blither
- muck
- tommyrot
- hooey
- malarkey
- guff
- tosh
- boloney
- beans
- trumpery
- foolishness
- bilge
- falderal
- craziness
- codswallop
- crock
- trash
- fiddle-faddle
- fudge
- tarradiddle
- fiddlesticks
- insanity
- rot
- horsefeathers
- malarky
- taradiddle
- punk
- bull
- fiddle
- drivel
- blarney
- humbug
- crapola
- madness
- applesauce
- absurdity
- blah-blah
- buncombe
- bosh
- folly
- hoodoo
- flannel
- hokeypokey
- moonshine
- idiocy
- nerts
- senselessness
- slush
- inanity
- greek
- tomfoolery
- absurdness
- foolery
- lunacy
- fatuity
- gas
- kookiness
- imbecility
- witlessness
- inaneness
- rigmarole
- asininity
- rigamarole
- monkey business
- shenanigan(s)
- hocus-pocus
- hoity-toity
- hot air
- monkeyshine(s)
- double-talk
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rationality
- sensibleness
- reasonableness
- sense
- levelheadedness
- wisdom
- horse sense
- judgment
- reasonability
- judgement
- discernment
- common sense