gibberish

[ jib-er-ish, gib- ]

noun

1. meaningless or unintelligible talk or writing.

   Synonyms: foolishness, gobbledegook, drivel, gabble, babble, nonsense

2. talk or writing containing many obscure, pretentious, or technical words.

gibberish

/ ˈdʒɪbərɪʃ /

noun

1. rapid chatter like that of monkeys
2. incomprehensible talk; nonsense

Word History and Origins

Origin of gibberish¹

1545–55; apparently gibber + -ish ¹, on the model of language names so formed

Example Sentences

Roberts' law clerks must have put in for disability pay after the time they spent paging through the impenetrable gibberish of former Supreme Court justices and other federal judges, none of whom, it should be noted, ever located the paragraph or sentence in the Constitution where the word “immunity” is found alongside the words “president” or “presidential.”

From Salon

His talking points are well-established, if they tend to come out in streams of gibberish and have little relationship to reality.

From Slate

However, a study “debunking” that nonspeaking autistic kids have the potential to communicate through spelling does not debunk my son’s words, and it should not be allowed to tarnish his incredible achievement just because commenters can’t believe that someone who looks so disabled on the outside is showing the world something it’s not used to: a person with various debilitating sensory issues, who shouts gibberish, flicks his fingers and won’t respond when you talk to him actually has a lively intelligent mind.

From Salon

But sentimental pride in their “burden of leadership,” nonsensical dithering and a gathering fear that the surroundings hold impending doom to them personally, make even crafting the usual gibberish impossible.

From Los Angeles Times

But the extra fingers, Manjoo’s joke, the gibberish hats, the five seats in the row were not the reasons I knew this image was fake.

From Slate

Related Words

• babble
• drivel