mumbo jumbo

noun

mum·​bo jum·​bo ˌməm-bō-ˈjəm-(ˌ)bō 

1

: an object of superstitious homage and fear

2

a

: a complicated often ritualistic observance with elaborate trappings

b

: complicated activity or language usually intended to obscure and confuse

3

: unnecessarily involved and incomprehensible language : gibberish

4

: language, behavior, or beliefs based on superstition

Synonyms

• abracadabra
• babble
• blabber
• burble
• double Dutch
• double-talk
• drivel
• gabble
• gibber
• gibberish
• jabber
• jabberwocky
• nonsense
• prattle
• slobber

Examples of mumbo jumbo in a Sentence

We were confused by all the legal mumbo jumbo.

His explanation was just a lot of mumbo jumbo.

Recent Examples on the Web

This, along with the ICC's decision to indict a Hamas commander—in the same breath as Netanyahu and Gallant—exposes the macabre moral equivocation that so often lurks behind the legal mumbo jumbo of both international organizations. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024

The rub is that his world is dying because of some specific mumbo jumbo that leads Wade to seek out a Wolverine from a parallel universe to save it. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2024

That's marketing mumbo jumbo just like Apple's Retina display, but this new OLED purportedly offers a 40 percent higher peak brightness than the Pixel 7A—up to 2,000 nits (1,400 nits with HDR). —Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 7 May 2024

Part of the challenge navigating this thread is discerning what’s actually material and what’s just performative mumbo jumbo. —Vulture, 25 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Mumbo Jumbo, a masked figure among Mandingo peoples of western Africa

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

mumbo jumbo

noun

mum·​bo jum·​bo ˌməm-bō-ˈjəm-bō 

1

: a complicated ceremony

2

: confusing or meaningless talk or activity