# bullshit

/ˈbʊɫˌʃɪt/ (US) · /bˈʊlʃɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bullshit
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. lies or nonsense

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Vulgar

nonsense or lies that someone says to impress you or hide the truth.

For teachers: untrue, exaggerated, or nonsensical assertions, often characterised by a complete lack of concern for the truth.

- Don't listen to him; he's just telling you a load of bullshit.
- The politician's speech was dismissed as pure bullshit by critics who pointed out the glaring lack of verifiable data.

### 2. unfair treatment

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Vulgar

something that is very unfair or annoying.

For teachers: an unfair, unreasonable, or frustrating situation or set of rules.

- It is total bullshit that we have to work on a holiday without extra pay.
- The employees were tired of the corporate bullshit and the constant changes to their health insurance plans.

### 3. to lie or deceive

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang · Vulgar

to lie to someone or try to trick them by talking a lot.

For teachers: to deceive or mislead someone through lies or exaggerated talk. Often used transitively.

- Stop trying to bullshit me; I know you weren't at home last night.
- He managed to bullshit his way through the interview despite having almost no experience in the field.

### 4. to chat casually

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang · Vulgar · American English

to talk with friends about unimportant things just to pass the time.

For teachers: to engage in idle, casual conversation without a serious purpose.

- We spent the whole afternoon just bullshitting on the porch.
- After the meeting, the team stayed behind for an hour just bullshitting about their weekend plans.

### 5. absurd or fake

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang · Vulgar

describing something that is fake, unfair, or makes no sense.

For teachers: characterised by absurdity, dishonesty, or a lack of validity.

- That is a bullshit excuse and you know it.
- The committee rejected the proposal, calling the projected budget figures completely bullshit.

## Examples

- I don't believe a word he says; it is all bullshit.
- The politician's speech was full of the usual bullshit designed to distract voters from the real economic issues.
- Harry Frankfurt famously argued that the essence of bullshit is not falsity but phoniness, where the speaker is indifferent to how things really are as long as they achieve their personal goals.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.