all the bollocks

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all the bollocks" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in informal contexts to express disbelief or to dismiss something as nonsense or unimportant. Example: "I can't believe he said that; it's all the bollocks if you ask me."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Reference

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Listen, I'm all for bumrushing Buckingham Palace and pulling the monarchy out by their fat necks, kicking them all in the bollocks or tits and spitting in their faces, setting fire to the castles and the gold, pulling statues down from their plinths.

Vice

Listen, I'm all for bumrushing Buckingham Palace and pulling the monarchy out by their fat necks, kicking them all in the bollocks or tits, spitting in their faces, setting fire to the castles and the gold, and pulling statues down from their plinths.

Vice

Finally, Arkham Knight is going to forget about all the Carmageddon bollocks it's been force-feeding me these past (*checks watch, dies a little more inside*) 21 hours and let me get on with swooping and scanning, and being the most bad-ass detective that fantasy has ever known.

Vice

You hear all this bollocks about kids from broken homes, but our families weren't broken, they were torn to pieces overnight.

The Guardian

There were boos when his name was brought up at the dinner, staged at the Kingsmeadow stadium, home of AFC Wimbledon, and there is enough testimony in the book – "the true inside story" it promises on the front cover – to understand why, as the old youth-team manager Geoff Taylor put it, something had to be done to "clear up all this bollocks".

The Guardian - Sport

Now, there's an ethical problem but you don't ever hear about it amid all the ill-informed bollocks spouted about cloning.' Steve Jones tells me that his aim in writing Y: The Descent of Men was to 'explore the new science of maleness in a no-bullshit way'.

The Guardian - Books

The orders were loud and clear: focus the rifle sights on the acid, discard all the "airy fairy bollocks,", call in some chattering machines and an air strike of echo.

Vice

There's also a daft number sung by a Foreign Office spy ("Don't ever ask who won the war / Don't ever ask what the war was for / It's hush-hush"), which is, says Bankes-Jones, "exacthe the same as all this bollocks about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq".

The Guardian - Music

The wisdom reached by excess of this nature is that it's all fucking bollocks, the celebrity equivalent of making a kid you catch smoking a fag do the whole packet.

The Guardian

Guitarist Ed O'Brien said the band considered splitting up, but kept working "because when you got beyond all the shit and the bollocks, the core of these songs were really good".

Wikipedia

5 p.m., all ages, $18 to $20. 5. "Nevermind The Bollocks, Here's A Midsummer Night's Dream" At Warehouse The classic play, transplanted into New York City's punk heyday.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all the bollocks" sparingly and be mindful of your audience. It is best suited for informal settings among close friends or in creative writing where you want to convey a strong sense of skepticism or disdain.

Common error

Avoid using "all the bollocks" in formal writing, presentations, or professional communications. Its vulgarity can be offensive and undermine your credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all the bollocks" functions as a dismissive expression. It's used to reject something as untrue or nonsensical. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English, typically in informal contexts.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Reference

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "all the bollocks" is a grammatically correct and informal expression used to dismiss something as nonsense or untrue. Ludwig's analysis suggests it is best suited for informal contexts and should be avoided in formal settings due to its vulgarity. While "all the bollocks" may effectively convey skepticism or disdain, alternatives like "all the nonsense" or "all the rubbish" provide a more polite way to express similar sentiments. Given the informal nature of the phrase, it's crucial to consider your audience and communication goals to ensure appropriateness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

all the nonsense

Replaces a vulgar term with a more polite and widely acceptable word for 'nonsense'.

all the rubbish

Substitutes a stronger, more offensive term with a milder, more common expression for 'rubbish'.

all the hogwash

Replaces a vulgar term with a less common but still dismissive expression for 'hogwash'.

all the baloney

Substitutes a vulgar term with a more colloquial term for 'baloney', indicating disbelief or deception.

all the poppycock

Replaces a vulgar term with a fancier, old-fashioned term for 'poppycock', implying something is trivial or untrue.

all the bunkum

Replaces a vulgar term with a less common term for 'bunkum', suggesting something is insincere or deceptive.

all the codswallop

Replaces a vulgar term with a British slang term for 'codswallop', indicating something is utter nonsense.

all the twaddle

Substitutes a vulgar term with a gentle, somewhat old-fashioned word for 'twaddle', suggesting trivial or foolish talk.

all the drivel

Replaces a vulgar term with a more direct and forceful expression for 'drivel', implying senseless or boring talk.

all the balderdash

Replaces a vulgar term with a more refined term for 'balderdash', implying senseless or exaggerated talk.

FAQs

How can I use "all the bollocks" in a sentence?

Use "all the bollocks" to express disbelief or to dismiss something as nonsense. For example: "I can't believe he said that; it's "all the bollocks" if you ask me."

What can I say instead of "all the bollocks"?

You can use alternatives like "all the nonsense", "all the rubbish", or "hogwash" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "all the bollocks" or "all of the bollocks"?

Both phrases can be used, but ""all the bollocks"" is more common and informal. "All of the bollocks" is grammatically correct, but less frequently used.

What's the difference between "all the bollocks" and "a load of bollocks"?

"All the bollocks" generally dismisses everything related to a particular topic as nonsense, while "a load of bollocks" refers to a specific instance or statement that is considered untrue or foolish. They are very close in meaning, but can have different focus.