Definition

1. Noun:

   • Words or language that have no meaning or make no sense: "Nonsense" refers to spoken or written communication that is absurd, illogical, or incomprehensible.
   • Foolish or unacceptable behavior: "Nonsense" can also describe actions or ideas that are perceived as silly, stupid, or without good reason.

2. Adjective:

   • Having no intelligible meaning; absurd: Used to describe something that is foolish, ridiculous, or lacking in sense.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • He was talking complete nonsense about aliens building the pyramids.
  • I'm tired of all this bureaucratic nonsense.
  • "Nonsense!" she exclaimed. "That's simply not true!"

• Adjective:

  • The instructions were full of nonsense jargon that nobody understood.
  • She dismissed the idea as a nonsense proposal.

Advanced Usage

• "To make (a) nonsense of something": to make something seem ridiculous or pointless; to undermine something.
  • The constant rule changes make a nonsense of the competition.
• "Stuff and nonsense!": an old-fashioned, emphatic exclamation to say that something is completely untrue or ridiculous.
  • "Stuff and nonsense! I've never heard anything so absurd in my life!"

Variants and Related Words

• Nonsensical (adj): Having no meaning; making no sense. ()
• Nonsense verse (n): A form of poetry or song that uses nonsensical, often humorous, language. ()

Synonyms

• For the noun (meaningless words): Gibberish, drivel, balderdash, claptrap, rubbish.
• For the noun (foolish behavior): Foolishness, absurdity, silliness, tomfoolery.
• For the adjective: Absurd, ridiculous, preposterous, meaningless.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: "Nonsense" is primarily a noun/adjective and does not commonly form phrasal verbs. The related constructions are idiomatic.)

Related Idioms

• "A load of (old) nonsense": a phrase meaning something is completely untrue or foolish.
  • His excuse was a load of old nonsense.
• "Stop talking nonsense" / "Don't talk nonsense": a common imperative to tell someone to stop saying things that are untrue or silly.
  • Oh, stop talking nonsense and tell me what really happened.

Adjective

1. having no intelligible meaning
   • nonsense syllables
   • a nonsensical jumble of words

Noun

1. ornamental objects of no great value
2. a message that seems to convey no meaning