Pooh-pooh
verb
To dismiss or treat as unimportant.
He pooh-poohed her worries about the project's timeline
Often appears as...
- pooh-pooh the idea
- pooh-pooh the suggestion
Usage tips
Informal
verb
To dismiss or treat as unimportant.
He pooh-poohed her worries about the project's timeline
Often appears as...
- pooh-pooh the idea
- pooh-pooh the suggestion
Usage tips
Informal
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Using 'pooh-pooh' can imply disrespect or scorn towards another person's opinion or concern.
When I expressed my fear of flying, my brother just pooh-poohed it.
Pro Tip 2/3Informal Context
'Pooh-pooh' is often used in casual or informal conversations rather than in formal writing or speeches.
They all pooh-poohed the idea of a road trip, preferring to fly instead.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Harsh Refusal
'Pooh-pooh' is less harsh than a flat-out refusal; it implies a mild or non-hostile rejection.
He pooh-poohed the suggestion, but later gave it some thought.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Using 'pooh-pooh' can imply disrespect or scorn towards another person's opinion or concern.
When I expressed my fear of flying, my brother just pooh-poohed it.
Pro Tip 2/3Informal Context
'Pooh-pooh' is often used in casual or informal conversations rather than in formal writing or speeches.
They all pooh-poohed the idea of a road trip, preferring to fly instead.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Harsh Refusal
'Pooh-pooh' is less harsh than a flat-out refusal; it implies a mild or non-hostile rejection.
He pooh-poohed the suggestion, but later gave it some thought.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Using 'pooh-pooh' can imply disrespect or scorn towards another person's opinion or concern.
When I expressed my fear of flying, my brother just pooh-poohed it.
Pro Tip 2/3Informal Context
'Pooh-pooh' is often used in casual or informal conversations rather than in formal writing or speeches.
They all pooh-poohed the idea of a road trip, preferring to fly instead.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Harsh Refusal
'Pooh-pooh' is less harsh than a flat-out refusal; it implies a mild or non-hostile rejection.
He pooh-poohed the suggestion, but later gave it some thought.
Never forget "Pooh-pooh"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
8 lessons on building a...
on an executive team. Well that's not equal, that's 30 percent. Lesson All start-up ideas are stupid. I spend a lot of time with start-ups, and I have a lot of friends that work in larger, more established companies. They are always pooh-poohing the companies that I work with.
Video examples
Magic that breaks the...
did you write in French pooh-pooh bah okay at this point you might be wondering a little what's going on okay
Video examples
8 lessons on building a...
on an executive team. Well that's not equal, that's 30 percent. Lesson All start-up ideas are stupid. I spend a lot of time with start-ups, and I have a lot of friends that work in larger, more established companies. They are always pooh-poohing the companies that I work with.
Video examples
Magic that breaks the...
did you write in French pooh-pooh bah okay at this point you might be wondering a little what's going on okay
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Dennis Crowley
American Businessman
People used to pooh-pooh the idea of a check-in, saying that this wasn't interesting. But when you have 3 billion of those data points, you can take any latitude and longitude anywhere in the world, and I'll tell you what is interesting now, 20 minutes from now, and 6 hours from now.
Quote examples
David Oshinsky
American Historian
Jonas Salk showed that a killed virus vaccine would work and would be damned effective in fighting disease. This was something that virologists of the day pooh-poohed. And Salk proved them wrong.
Quote examples
Shane Black
American Actor
Once I started selling scripts for a great deal of money - action scripts, no less, which people tend to pooh-pooh anyway - then I started to get some backlash. Which I didn't mind.
Quote examples
Mary Karr
American Poet
Success has affected my self-definition in that I have more money. Writers pooh-pooh that idea, but it's a huge deal.
Quote examples
Kary Mullis
American Scientist
They can't pooh-pooh me now, because of who I am.
Quote examples
Dennis Crowley
American Businessman
People used to pooh-pooh the idea of a check-in, saying that this wasn't interesting. But when you have 3 billion of those data points, you can take any latitude and longitude anywhere in the world, and I'll tell you what is interesting now, 20 minutes from now, and 6 hours from now.
Quote examples
David Oshinsky
American Historian
Jonas Salk showed that a killed virus vaccine would work and would be damned effective in fighting disease. This was something that virologists of the day pooh-poohed. And Salk proved them wrong.
Quote examples
Shane Black
American Actor
Once I started selling scripts for a great deal of money - action scripts, no less, which people tend to pooh-pooh anyway - then I started to get some backlash. Which I didn't mind.
Quote examples
Mary Karr
American Poet
Success has affected my self-definition in that I have more money. Writers pooh-pooh that idea, but it's a huge deal.
Quote examples
Kary Mullis
American Scientist
They can't pooh-pooh me now, because of who I am.
Example 1 of 5
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension