variants
also poohing
as in dismissing
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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pooh-poohing
Verb
-
Put frankly, dismissing intention has boxed the ivory tower into a corner for its ability to handle difficult conversations relating to religion.—
Matthew Mayhew,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025 -
The singer defended Siwa and recounted her own experiences as a bisexual woman falling in love with a man after previously dismissing the idea.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Bottom Line Gen Z isn’t rejecting career ambition—they’re redefining it around skill mastery, purpose and sustainable productivity rather than traditional hierarchies.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Even while rejecting many of the Administration’s demands, Harvard has in recent months made moves that share something of the flavor of the Administration’s preferences, beyond addressing antisemitism.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But being cautious doesn’t mean ignoring the risks.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Jeremiah has been ignoring Conrad’s texts, including a recent message wishing him a Happy Thanksgiving.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Pooh-poohing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pooh-poohing. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share