What does hooey mean?
Hooey is an informal North American exclamation used when something strikes the speaker as surprising, impossible, ridiculous, or disappointing. Its characteristic use is in a phrase such as “What hooey!” or “Well, hooey!” The word can also be a countable noun meaning foolishness or nonsense, particularly in the expression “a lot of hooey.” It is more conversational and emphatic than ordinary expressions of disbelief, often adding a humorous or dismissive tone. Hooey is not normally used in formal writing, formal debate, or careful explanation, though it may appear in dialogue, comic writing, and deliberately exaggerated speech. Because its appeal lies in its sound and expressive force, it is often more naturally an interjection than a precise term for a specific kind of error. Hooey is nevertheless useful when a speaker wants to communicate incredulity with personality rather than merely state that a claim is doubtful.
An informal exclamation expressing surprise, disbelief, or disappointment.
"“What hooey!” he said when the impossible score appeared on the screen."
Informal and often humorous or theatrical; chiefly used in North American English.
Foolishness, nonsense, or something absurd.
"His explanation was a lot of hooey."
Usually encountered in the idiomatic phrase “a lot of hooey.”
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon; the expression “a lot of hooey” is far more usual in natural usage.
"The article was dismissed as one of the evening's more colorful hooeys."
“What hooey!” delivers disbelief in a distinctly informal, often theatrical flourish.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hooey come from?
The precise origin of hooey is not securely established. It developed as an informal North American expression, with its interjectional use apparently preceding the later noun sense for foolishness or nonsense. Because the word's derivation is uncertain, assigning it to a particular source or claiming a definite cognate would be speculative.
How hooey is actually used
The expression is informal and often humorous or dismissive. It is common in North American speech but may sound old-fashioned or exaggerated to some speakers. As a noun, it is generally used in the idiomatic expression “a lot of hooey.”