variants also rigamarole
as in gobbledegook
language marked by abstractions, jargon, euphemisms, and circumlocutions the security guard gave me some kind of rigmarole about passes and authorizations

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Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rigmarole Love the idea of falling asleep under the stars with a fresh breeze, but not so keen on the whole rigmarole of setting up a tent, digging a hole when nature calls, and sacrificing creature comforts like a luxury mattress or a coffee machine? Brittany Anas, House Beautiful, 2 Sep. 2023 Cons: The rigmarole of being asked to choose a text, make a rubbing from it and then name a preferred brand of freedom, all before being allowed to sound the big bell, is gilding the lily. Blake Gopnik, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2023 Recently, the mainline games have felt like hollow copies of the original generation’s charm and soul, introducing new concepts that are subsequently thrown away in sequels and putting players through the same, repetitive rigmarole on the way to becoming a champion. Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2021 Spare yourself the rigmarole, reap the benefits. Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 12 May 2022 See all Example Sentences for rigmarole 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rigmarole
Noun
  • Apologies to the Lois Lane stans out there, but Adams is mostly on hand in these movies to deliver stern gobbledygook (something about isotopes?) and stare at Henry Cavill’s cheekbones.
    Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024
  • So, of course, their stony-eyed dedication to taking this inspirational gobbledygook seriously has gone viral.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • However, much of the rhetoric online around looters seems steeped in racist sentiment.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2025
  • In this upcoming moment of truth for Illinois, the speaker has the opportunity to give power to that rhetoric, which many on the GOP side don’t believe for a minute.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Given this strange combination—Iron Guard nostalgia and Russian trolls plus the sort of wellness gibberish more commonly associated with Gwyneth Paltrow—who exactly are the Georgescus?
    Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
  • Bernie spoke gibberish to investors when talking about his strategies.
    Richard Behar, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • One of the functions that’s been getting a lot of hype lately is magnesium’s impact on the nervous system and sleep quality.
    Kristine Thomason, Vogue, 11 Jan. 2025
  • For all the hype, the exhibition floor offered little evidence of a robotics revolution.
    Charlie Fink, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Driving the news: The statement was published only in English on the Facebook page of the Israeli Prime Minister's Office — potentially another case of double-talk by Netanyahu.
    Barak Ravid, Axios, 27 Sep. 2024
  • The GOP Senate candidate in Arizona, whose brand is a combative, never-back-down MAGA politics, has adopted a position on the issue that is nearly indistinguishable from that of double-talking Democrats.
    Rich Lowry, National Review, 14 Apr. 2024
Noun
  • Though the story takes place in the fantastical world of Oz, Scott says the most successful musicals always have their moments of song and dance grounded in a sense of reality.
    Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 18 Dec. 2024
  • Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye star as Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, a famous song and dance team who rally their fellow Army veterans to put on a Christmastime show to help save a struggling resort owned by their former boss, Gen. Thomas F. Waverly (Dean Jagger).
    Tim Lammers, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Rigmarole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rigmarole. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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