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Trumpery

Today on Wordsmith.org, the word of the day is “trumpery”.

Yes, it is a real word, whose earliest document use is from 1481. But the best part is its meaning:

  1. Something showy but worthless.
  2. Nonsense or rubbish.
  3. Deceit; fraud; trickery.

They even give some examples of usage:

“The room was crowded with a chilly miscellany of knick-knacks and ornaments, gewgaws, and trumpery of every kind.”
Leo Bruce; Case for Three Detectives; Academy Chicago; 1980.

“History, made up as it is of so much trumpery, treachery, and tyranny, needs deeds of valor, of sacrifice, and of heroism if it is to be palatable.”
The Medal of Honor: A History of Service Above and Beyond; Zenith Press; 2014.

“He talks a lot, but what comes out of his mouth is pure trumpery.”
Iron Knee; Political Irony; 2016.

You can see more about this apropos word at Vocabulary.com.

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