According to the Cambridge Dictionary, this is old fashioned. Is that so? If so, what would someone say in 2025 instead of this word?

People still say poppycock (at least, I do), but it is a bit silly

Bollocks

Adding to others already mentioned: bollocks

Americana English: silly, ridiculous, baloney, nonsense, bullshit

codswallop

I think it's okay to use this word, "poppycock" is old-fashioned, but not archaic. You can also say "hogwash" or "nonsense".

My grandpa used the term “baloney”. He meant “bullshit”

Old fashioned? What absolute poppycock. The beautiful thing about the English language is that it can appear to say so much whilst saying something else entirely. It can be sincere and flattering or completely destroying, it can be a stilleto served with a smile or a cold hard bludgeon. The effective wielding of language relies upon the vocabulary of the user.

bullshit is the modern replacement. to be less vulgar, you can shorten it to “bull” as in “you and i both know that’s some bull.” BS is another common way to shorten it as well “bunk” “bunkum” and “nonsense” are more polite/academic

For a "cleaner" alternative: baloney

People still say poppycock, just not common. No reason you can't use it

Fake news

Bullshit

I’d say “that’s bullshit”

Bollocks

Piffle, as spoken by Glenda Jackson in this classic advert. Piffle at about 11 seconds, poppycock at 22. [For your enjoyment.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnMCuwYiWDQ)

UK/English and I too would say 'bollocks'. 'He dismissed the allegations as bollocks' or 'a load of bollocks'.

Old fashioned? Maybe in the US, but definitely not in the UK.

Most people will say bullshit but don't be most people, poppycock conveys bullshit way better than bullshit.

Poppycock is used enough that most English speakers will know what you mean. It's really fun to say. I also like calling things "bologna" means the same thing and is completely safe to use at all times.

Cap

I'd say *gobbledygook* — or just *nonsense*.

This is the type of word you say in a bad British accent as a joke, no one says it seriously, at least in circles of people under 90.

"Rubbish"

"Rubbish"

That’s cap

I would say "nonsense". To be more empathetic, I might say "total nonsense". Another option is "bullshit", but that's vulgar.

it says right there, nonsense

Very regional (Texas), but I usually go with “bullcorn”. Or “bull malarkey”. Both are probably considered old fashioned, but a lot of my vocabulary is

A lot of comments. Also an older word, but I haven’t seen “malarky” brought up as a replacement.

Cap

I mean I could imagine it being said kind of ironically but otherwise yeah it's just "b.s" or "bullcrap" etc

Fake and gay

Poppycock = Bullshit.

Pish (if you're in Scotland)

Horse hockey

this is utter rubbish, total bs

Bullshit or nonsense (depending on how polite you want to be haha)

Bullshit or bullcrap

Bullshit.

Bullshit.

Bullshit.

If you want something more polite than “bullshit”, there’s “hogwash”, “nonsense”, or something a bit more fanciful like, “a big load of donkey”, where the “shit” and the end is implied. Indeed, just “bull” or “BS” is an effective way to say “bullshit”.

it is old fashioned. according to stephen fry the original phrase was pappe kak, i.e. 'soft shit' in dutch. which makes me feel kind of ill, but demonstrates that it's not the euphemism people assume it to be. i'd say 'nonsense' if i didn't want to use stronger words. but 'bullshit' was my first reaction too.

Bullshit - informal BS or bull - if you want to say bullshit without actually swearing Nonsense - in a professional or formal setting

I wrote that word yesterday. But yeah - a bit old fashioned. Rubbish Trash Lies Bullshit Bull Nonsense Malarkey Hog wash

Horsefeathers

Balderdash! But I like the silly sounding old fashioned words 😅

Balderdash and twaddle are some amusing outdated synonyms.

Cap.

Twaddle 

rubbish if you're british nonsense if you're american bullshit if you're mad

Bullshit is probably the most common (live in the UK, from Australia). Nonsense or rubbish if you're trying to be polite

It is definitely old fashioned but i feel a majority of people would still understand it. In my opinion, here’s a short list of options from informal to formal. 1. Bullshit (BS) 2. That’s a load of crap (or a load of bs) 3. That’s horseshit 4. That’s a crock (or crock of shit) 5. Malarkey (old fashioned) 6. Hogwash (old fashioned) 7. Nonsense 8. Absurd (formal) 9. Preposterous (formal) Again, this is just my opinion on a few phrases and words

Bullshit

Bollocks

"horse shit", "bullshit", "nonsense", "bs" or "bull" which are both less offensive versions of saying bullshit, "utterly ridiculous". Those would be my go to ways to express the same concept as an American. Yes, it is pretty old fashioned. We will all understand you if you use it but we'll think you're trying to be funny or something just because it's something you're great grandma might have said when you were really little or you see being said by old time characters like Sherlock Holmes... Not literally Holmes though cause I don't think he ever says poppycock but that same general level of old fashioned. Think victorian era cussing, and that's what poppycock is.

Formal would be nonsense/untrue/ Informal would be bull shit

A polite alternative in the UK would be "nonsense". Like someone tells you something ridiculous, you might reply "absolute nonsense!" to show you don't believe them or that what they're saying is silly. Less polite would be "bollocks" as in "complete/utter bollocks", which is a very flexible word in British English.

If I remember right the etymology on poppycock is that it means some kind of animal poo in another language, so horseshit ot bullshit are good.

It’s incredibly old fashioned lol

Hasn't "Young Sheldon" made this word slightly more popular?

Ludicrous

Bullshit

Malarkey lol

Damn that’s such a good word. It needs reintroducing.

Are they still using cap or did i blink and the language moved on without me again?

boulder dash

Argle Bargle

I still use poppycock occasionally, but I read a lot and am prone to using old styles at times. "Nonsense" is probably the best formal word. "BS" "Bull shit", "hog wash" are all similar terms, but are varying from profane to crude. I also use "gobbleygook", but I'm pretty sure that's also archaic or old fashioned.

La verdad es la primera que escucho esta palabra y el inglés es mi idioma nativo

Horseshit. Or garbage, if you want to be less rough about it.

I’d just say “bullshit”

codswallop

I say Horsecock

Shenanagins

I never said, heard, or read this word.

In British English: Bollocks.

Bull-hockey!

Balderdash

Fake… News…

“Bullshit,” which for the sake of politeness can be reduced to “BS” or “bull.” “Nonsense” is a good, non controversial option.

While it is old fashioned, it’s the kind of thing that a person could still say and be understood.

vulgar : bullshit Non vulgar: nonsense

A contemporary English speaker would prob say something along the "nonsense" - "B.S." continuum. I think "bullshit" itself would be far too vulgar a substitute.

A boat load of ASS!

Old-fashioned, as it's often replaced by "bullshit," but no native speaker should have trouble understanding that word. I would say "nonsense" if I had to be polite, but the culture I often find myself surrounded in aren't going to flinch or clutch their pearls at "bullshit."

people usually say bullshit but that can be vulgar so you can also say "nonsense"

As much as it is old-fashioned, it is tremendously fun. Unless you need to sound serious, I'd still go ahead and use it.

I was today years old when I discovered poppycock was a thing

You can only say this while wearing a monocle and top hat, speaking in a cartoonish approximation of a refined British accent. Sorry, I don't make the rules.

Balderdash Just kidding, that one's falling out of fashion too these days.

honkydonk

Bollocks. It has several meanings and one of them fits the description above perfectly!

Balderdash!

It's old fashioned but people understand it.

The allegations are complete nonsense

Nonsense

Balderdash

Casual or not caring? Bullshit More formal? Nonsense

Opiumdick

"That's cap fr fr no shizz jus rizz bet!" or something, idk

Let’s bring it back. Everybody start saying this today.

cap

Gibberish

"Ridiculous" is a good replacement

Just use humbug.

Less common one: hokum.

All I hear is a phallic vulgar term.

I've heard a lot of people say poppycock, but it's more in an informal jokey context than a serious one

i've never heard this in my life so it probably is quite old-fashioned lol

Balderdash