What does hogwash mean?
Hogwash means nonsense or empty, misleading talk. It is a mildly humorous but strongly dismissive word, commonly used for political speeches, journalism, advertising, or arguments that are judged to avoid facts and substance. The expression can sound more colorful than plain words such as nonsense or rubbish, while retaining their critical force. Its older literal meaning refers to liquid food or refuse fed to pigs, giving the word a history of connecting discarded material with unappetizing or worthless content. Although the modern figurative sense is firmly established in everyday English in both British and American usage, hogwash is more conversational and opinionated than a neutral term such as misinformation. It is useful when a speaker wants to convey not only that something is false or incoherent, but also that it is empty, clumsy, or unworthy of serious consideration.
nounNonsense, rubbish, or talk that is regarded as empty or misleading. In its older literal sense, hogwash means liquid food or refuse given to pigs.
- Nonsense, rubbish, or worthless and often misleading talk.
- Liquid food, slops, or refuse given to pigs; swill.
"The committee dismissed his argument as little more than political hogwash."
"The speech was dismissed by critics as full of hogwash and avoiding the central issue."
"The farmer fed the hogwash from the kitchen to the pigs."
The noun is usually used as a mass noun in its figurative sense and is therefore normally singular. The plural hogwashes is possible in countable or emphatic constructions but is uncommon.
"The speakers offered a series of hogwashes rather than answering the question."
From leftovers fed to pigs to empty talk: hogwash has turned a trough of swill into a sharp label for nonsense.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hogwash come from?
Hogwash is an English compound formed from hog and wash. Its original literal sense was the slops or liquid food given to pigs, and the figurative sense of foolish or meaningless talk had developed by the early nineteenth century. The compound belongs to the same English vocabulary as hog and wash, with hogshead also reflecting the older agricultural association of hogs and their keeping.
How hogwash is actually used
The figurative sense is informal and disparaging. It is especially common in criticism of political speech, advertising, journalism, or arguments considered empty, evasive, or misleading. The literal sense is now uncommon.
Easily confused with hogwash
Both can disparagingly describe confused material, but hogwash usually means empty or misleading talk, whereas a hodgepodge is a jumbled mixture of different things.