Word family noun sense ≠ nonsense sensibility ≠ insensibility sensitivity ≠ insensitivity senselessness sensitization sensor adjective sensible insensible senseless sensitive ≠ insensitive sensory nonsensical insensate verb sense sensitize adverb sensibly senselessly sensitively ≠ insensitively
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnonsensenon‧sense /ˈnɒnsəns $ ˈnɑːnsens/ ●●○ S3 noun 1 untrue/stupidUNTRUE [singular, uncountable] ideas, opinions, statements etc that are not true or that seem very stupid SYN rubbish British English ‘I’m a prisoner in my own home.’ ‘Nonsense!’absolute/utter/complete nonsense ‘Nobody cares about me.’ ‘That’s absolute nonsense, Mary!’nonsense about all this nonsense about health foods If you ask me, these modern teaching methods are a load of nonsense (=a lot of nonsense). He was talking utter nonsense as usual.be a nonsense British English The government’s housing policy is a nonsense. By 1832 the idea had become an economic nonsense.it is (a) nonsense to do something It is nonsense to say that mistakes are never made.2 annoying behaviourSTUPID/NOT SENSIBLE [uncountable] behaviour that is stupid and annoying You’re to stop that nonsense, do you hear me?not stand/put up with/take any nonsense (=not accept such behaviour) She won’t stand any nonsense from the kids in her class.3 without meaningCLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND# [uncountable] speech or writing that has no meaning or cannot be understood Computer programs look like complete nonsense to me.4 → make (a) nonsense of something5 → nonsense poems/verse/rhymesCOLLOCATIONSadjectivescomplete/total nonsenseMost of what has been written on this subject is complete nonsense.utter/absolute nonsense (=complete nonsense)He said that the charges against him were absolute nonsense.verbstalk nonsenseThat's not true - he's talking nonsense!believe this/that nonsenseDon’t tell me you believe all this nonsense about ghosts!phrasesthat's nonsense (=used to emphasize that something is not true)That’s nonsense. I never said that at all.a load of nonsense informal (=things that are completely untrue)What she told you was a load of nonsense. Mark doesn’t drink at all.a lot of nonsense (=things that are completely untrue)‘Don’t fill her head with a lot of nonsense, ’ said her mother.stuff and nonsense old-fashioned (=nonsense)When asked what he thought of astrology, he replied, 'Stuff and nonsense!' Examples from the Corpus
nonsense• Busch dismissed the accusations as nonsense.• Carry over the assumptions of philosophical positivism and the basic notions of revelation will become nonsense.• Collecting nonsense words is an interesting pastime.• He described her comments as confused nonsense.• Which, basically, is nonsense.• In this context their role is not negative, even though you get a bag of nonsense with that good service.• There is a great deal of nonsense spoken about Homoeopathy that stems from this basic misconception.• No one should have to put up with that kind of nonsense.• This remarkable piece of nonsense came, of course, straight out of her reactive mind.• Dr. Seuss's nonsense words have delighted millions of children.• It was easy to laugh in that snug house, talk nonsense half the night, drink.• I don't intend to waste any more time listening to you talk nonsense.• She cleared her head of Rory, all that nonsense.absolute/utter/complete nonsense• The Commission's proposals on beef are absolute nonsense.• Statement E: Racism as rational self interest I think that's absolute nonsense.• That's absolute nonsense, James.• Time-travellers? Utter nonsense, surely?• Still, he posed several questions that he said proved the plaintiffs' case was utter nonsense.stop ... nonsense• I thought I'd put a stop to this nonsense!• The master put a stop to the nonsense the moment he walked in.• Poltoo, kindly stop this nonsense Straightaway!• Could you please stop this nonsense? 