little bollocks

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "little bollocks" is correct and usable in written English, though it is informal and may be considered vulgar.
It can be used in a humorous or light-hearted context to refer to something trivial or nonsensical, often in a playful manner. Example: "I can't believe you got upset over that little bollocks; it was just a misunderstanding."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

You can prove literally anything with pop science, but it's true that we like to think of animals as almost supernaturally attuned to sniffing out people you would never want to have a pint with, barking their little bollocks off at anyone with so much as a whiff of dickheadedness about them, and if you're OK by the dog, then you're probably OK.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

So, after everything we've already done to the polar bear – disease, habitat loss, parasites, food shortages and straight-up murder – now, as if solely to kick them while they're down, we're giving them dinky, snap-happy bear-knobs and ineffectual little bear bollocks.

Vice

So we have The Little Book of Management Bollocks (Pocket, £2.99), like Dilbert, only smaller, and Under the Duvet (Michael Joseph, £10), a collection of comic articles that bestselling novelist Marian Keyes has written for magazines: like fiction, only journalism.

The Guardian - Books

The pain of sad little men "This is such bollocks; sad little men making pathetic points about nothing".

The Guardian - Sport

"What's all this patronizing bollocks about 'plucky little Fulham'?" bawls Bem Bamford.

The Guardian - Sport

Whatever impenetrable bollocks has been spoken about this little song, the reality has been 30 non-stop years of Band Aid work,  hundreds of millions of dollars raised and spent, millions of lives bettered.

Independent

"So she did little paper doves and olive branches and all this Make Peace, Not War bollocks.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

She said bollocks to this, and went to start teaching in a little dance studio.

The Guardian

"Bollocks, no.

The Guardian - Sport

How?! Bollocks!

The Guardian - Film

"Bollocks!" "Capitalism!" "Bollocks!" Yorke yelled.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "little bollocks" sparingly and be aware of your audience. It is generally appropriate only in informal settings where strong language is acceptable.

Common error

Avoid using "little bollocks" in formal writing or professional communication. Its vulgarity can undermine your credibility and offend your readers.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "little bollocks" is as an exclamatory interjection or a noun phrase functioning as a dismissive comment. As evidenced by Ludwig, it's used to express contempt or disbelief.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "little bollocks" is a vulgar idiom used to express strong disapproval or dismissal. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness but emphasizes its highly informal register, making it suitable only for casual contexts where strong language is tolerated. While the phrase appears predominantly in News & Media sources, its limited occurrence suggests infrequent use. Therefore, when choosing to employ this idiom, consider your audience and the potential impact of using such an expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minor nonsense

Replaces the vulgar term with a more polite and general term for something considered foolish or insignificant.

trivial rubbish

Emphasizes the lack of value or importance of something, while softening the offensive language.

petty absurdity

Highlights the ridiculous and insignificant nature of something.

slight foolishness

Downplays the offensiveness, focusing on the lack of wisdom or good sense.

small-time baloney

Uses a more colloquial and less offensive term for nonsense or deception.

insignificant drivel

Highlights the boring and meaningless nature of the topic at hand.

minor hogwash

Replaces the offensive term with a slang term suggesting the statement is false or silly.

piddling triviality

Emphasizes the insignificance of something, suggesting it is a waste of time.

slight poppycock

Uses a less common but more whimsical term for nonsense.

minimal claptrap

Suggests the statement is empty and insincere, while minimizing the vulgarity.

FAQs

What does "little bollocks" mean?

The phrase "little bollocks" is a vulgar term used to describe something considered trivial, nonsensical, or of poor quality. It's a more emphatic way of saying something is "rubbish" or "nonsense".

Is it appropriate to use "little bollocks" in formal writing?

No, the phrase "little bollocks" is highly informal and considered vulgar. It is not appropriate for formal writing, professional communication, or any situation where respectful language is expected.

What are some less offensive alternatives to "little bollocks"?

You can use alternatives like "minor nonsense", "trivial rubbish", or "petty absurdity" depending on the context and the level of formality required. See a complete list of alternatives "here".

How can I use "little bollocks" in a sentence?

The phrase "little bollocks" is typically used to express strong disagreement or dismissal of an idea. For example, "I can't believe you're worried about that little bollocks; it's completely insignificant."