What does "claptrap" mean?
Empty verbiage or nonsense.
Claptrap
/ˈklæpˌtɹæp/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Empty verbiage or nonsense.
- Grammar: claptrap is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: absurdity, amphigory, applesauce, argument.
- Useful contrasts: authenticity, sincerity, sound reasoning.
- Usage evidence: The mayor and his companion have been uttering a lot of claptrap to the citizens for a long time.
How to use "claptrap"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "claptrap" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "claptrap" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "claptrap" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "claptrap" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "claptrap" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "absurdity" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "claptrap", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Empty verbiage or nonsense. countable, uncountable
"Klein diagnoses impressively what hasn’t worked. No more claptrap about fracked gas as a bridge to renewables. Enough already of the international summit meetings that produce sirocco-quality hot air, and nonbinding agreements that bind us all to more emissions."
- 2 pompous or pretentious talk or writing wordnet
- 3 A device for producing a clapping sound in theaters. countable, historical, uncountable
- 4 A device or trick to gain applause; a humbug. countable, uncountable
"There had been a suggestion that the child should be with her [while she answers the door], but the mother herself had rejected this. "It would be stagey," she had said, "and clap-trap. There is nothing I hate so much as that.""
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The mayor and his companion have been uttering a lot of claptrap to the citizens for a long time."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "claptrap"?
Common synonyms include: absurdity, amphigory, applesauce, argument, argument by analogy, argumentum ad baculum.
How do you use "claptrap" in a sentence?
The mayor and his companion have been uttering a lot of claptrap to the citizens for a long time.
How do you pronounce "claptrap"?
Pronounced /ˈklæpˌtɹæp/.
Etymology
Theater slang, c. 1730, from clap + trap, referring to theatrical techniques or gags used to incite applause.