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Definition of nothingburger

nothingburger

/ˈnʌθ.ɪŋˌbɜːr.ɡər/
noth · ing · bur · ger
Plural:nothingburgers
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nothingburger Lexical Profile

nothingburger Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American Something, such as an event, controversy, or piece of news, that receives significant attention or anticipation but ultimately proves to have little or no substance, value, or impact.

Example

"Despite weeks of sensational media coverage, the much-anticipated investigation turned out to be a complete nothingburger."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

noteworthy
nother
nothing
nothingburger
nothingness
notholirion
notice

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1950s American gossip columns (often attributed to Hollywood columnist Louella Parsons) as a playful compound of 'nothing' and 'burger', metaphorically suggesting a bun with no meat inside.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nothingburger. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nothingburger
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