variants
also pooh
as in to dismiss
informal
to think or say that (something) is not very good or not true
They pooh-poohed my suggestion. He pooh-poohed the idea that the house was haunted.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pooh-pooh
LaRoche tried to pooh-pooh the notion, and certainly did not wish Agent McGee to alarm his wife.
—
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Apr. 2025
But weather forecasters typically pooh-pooh their predictions.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
But weather forecasters typically pooh-pooh their predictions.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
National Weather Service debunks woolly bear forecasting abilities Of course, the National Weather Service has come along to pooh-pooh the woolly bear's winter foresight, with its science and facts.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
No wonder his officers pooh-pooh Haiti’s gangs as amateurs compared to their previous foes, like Al Shabaab – though the al Qaeda affiliate hasn’t been entirely vanquished back home in Kenya.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 10 Aug. 2024
Experts in the wind-power industry pooh-pooh such warnings.
—Peter Fairley, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2010
Still others pooh-pooh the suggestion that British voters would make decisions at the ballot box based on the political direction of another country, even one as close and influential as the United States.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2024
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Apr. 2025
But weather forecasters typically pooh-pooh their predictions.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
But weather forecasters typically pooh-pooh their predictions.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
National Weather Service debunks woolly bear forecasting abilities Of course, the National Weather Service has come along to pooh-pooh the woolly bear's winter foresight, with its science and facts.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
No wonder his officers pooh-pooh Haiti’s gangs as amateurs compared to their previous foes, like Al Shabaab – though the al Qaeda affiliate hasn’t been entirely vanquished back home in Kenya.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 10 Aug. 2024
Experts in the wind-power industry pooh-pooh such warnings.
—Peter Fairley, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2010
Still others pooh-pooh the suggestion that British voters would make decisions at the ballot box based on the political direction of another country, even one as close and influential as the United States.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pooh-pooh
Verb
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Despite seeking help from her local GP, her concerns were initially dismissed.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
6 June 2025
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The lawsuit sparked a years-long legal battle that was ultimately voluntarily dismissed in late 2022.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Brentford have rejected an offer of around €9million (£7.6m; $10.2m) from Bayer Leverkusen for their first-choice goalkeeper Mark Flekken but negotiations are ongoing over a potential deal.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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Paramount is currently engaged in mediation talks with Trump’s attorneys, who recently rejected a $15 million settlement offer and threatened further litigation, The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week.—
Dominick Mastrangelo,
The Hill,
30 May 2025
Verb
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What can also be said with certainty, however, is that — even ignoring, for one moment, the events that brought him to Chelmsford crown court in Essex, east of London — this is a story of what might have been.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
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Titles were a foregone conclusion with two of the league’s three or four best players and the financial might to ignore the luxury tax.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pooh-pooh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pooh-pooh. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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