I say the sewer thought I was dressed to bear a part in the tregetour’s mummery, and so I got admission
Source: wiktionary
Mummery
/ˈmʌməɹi/
Synonyms for "mummery" (122 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (25)
abracadabraactingaffectationbaccalaureate servicebuffoonerybusinesscamouflagecantcelebrationceremonialceremonycharacterizationcommencementconvocationdisguisedominoempty formalityempty gestureexerciseexercises
Show 4 more words
false colorsfalse facefalse frontfalse piety
Noun(1 words)
Strong matches (36)
falsenessformalformalityfunctiongaggibberishgoody-goodinessgraduationgraduation exerciseshamhammy actinghocus-pocushokehokumhypocrisyhypocriticalnessimpersonationinauguralinaugurationincognito
Show 14 more words
Noun(2 words)
Related words (61)
mumbo-jumboobservanceofficeoilinessostentatious devotionoveractingpantomimingpatterpecksnifferyperformanceperformingpersonationpharisaicalnesspharisaismpietismpietisticalnesspietypiousnessplayactingplaying
Show 37 more words
portrayalprojectionprotective colorationreligionismreligiosityreligious ceremonyrepresentationriterite de passagerite of passageritualsanctimoniousnesssanctimonyself-righteousnessserviceslapsticksmoke screensnivelsnufflesnufflingsoft soapsolemnitysolemnizationstage businessstage directionsstage presencestuntsweet talktaking a roletartufferytartuffismtokenismunctionunctuousnessvisorvizardvizard mask
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abracadabra, acting, affectation, baccalaureate service, buffoonery.
- Sentence evidence is available for mummery, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "mummery".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "mummery"
Keep "mummery" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "mummery" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "mummery", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "mummery" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
11 entriesart formbunkceremonydisplayhokummeaninglessnessnonsensenonsensicalityperformanceritualtheatrical art
More specific
5 entriesfolk pantomimemasked dramamummers playostentatious ritualtheatrical display
Collocations
5 entriesceremonial mummerypolitical mummerypublic mummeryreligious mummeryshowy mummery
Inflections
1 entriesSample sentences
5 total sentences available.
The twentieth of September, they are bound Fast from the midnight watch to pray till morn.— More would he not disclose, or knew not more. —What precious mummery!
Source: wiktionary
All this affectation and mummery was in due time overcome, and Zeluco's nuptials with the widow were celebrated in form.
Source: wiktionary
Because it is more simple, and, in its simplicity, becomes sublime to a mind like her's—in my days of darkness I did not like the ceremonies of the church, but classed them with silly mummeries, hardening my heart against that which I did not understand—now you would have no such feelings to contend with...
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "mummery"?
Closest matches include abracadabra, acting, affectation, baccalaureate service, buffoonery.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "mummery"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.