What does nonsense mean?
Word: Nonsense
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Nonsense means words, ideas or behaviour that are silly or have no real sense to them.
Synonyms: gibberish
Antonyms: sense
How do you spell nonsense?
Syllables: non - sense
Tricky part: The s sound at the very end is the trap. Many pupils write ce there, as in fence, but this word finishes with se.
Watch out for: nonsence, nonsens, nonsenes
Memory tip: Nonsense makes no sense at all, and those two words close with the same pair of letters.
Nonsense in a sentence
Example 1: Grandma enjoyed the poem's playful nonsense so much that she read it aloud twice.
Example 2: The translation app turned my French message into complete nonsense.
Example 3: Scientists soon showed that the claim about cold water making you taller was nonsense.
Fun Fact
Edward Lear published A Book of Nonsense in 1846, filling it with comic verses and his own drawings. Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky, packed with invented words, is another well-known piece of nonsense verse.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
nonesense
a) n
b) s
c) o
d) e
Show answer
d) e. Children often think of none here, but no letter comes between the opening three and the s.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are misspelt. Choose the meaning of the one spelt correctly.
1. limerik 2. nonsense 3. anectdote 4. metafore
a) a way of describing one thing as if it were another
b) talk or writing that cannot be taken seriously
c) a short, interesting story from real life
d) a funny poem of five lines
Show answer
b) talk or writing that cannot be taken seriously. Nonsense is printed right; limerick has lost its c, anecdote has gained a t and metaphor has gained an e.
Mingle-Mangle
The sentence contains a jumbled word. Choose the word it hides:
Little Aarav's story about a flying bicycle was lovely snoenens from start to finish.
a) nuisance
b) sentence
c) innocence
d) nonsense
Show answer
d) nonsense. Three n's, two s's and no c or t: nuisance, sentence and innocence all need a letter the jumble does not have.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word nonsense as used in the sentence:
When Ravi said the moon is made of cheese, his cousins laughed and called it nonsense at once.
a) wisdom
b) rubbish
c) reason
d) mystery
Show answer
b) rubbish. In British English, rubbish is an everyday word for something foolish or untrue.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is a fair example of nonsense?
a) A recipe for lemon rice with measured spoons
b) A map of the bus routes through the city
c) A timetable for the school's summer term
d) A rhyme about a teapot that sings in purple
Show answer
d) A rhyme about a teapot that sings in purple
2. Anita says, 'That story about the exam being moved to Sunday is nonsense.' What does she mean?
a) She does not believe it is true
b) She hopes it will turn out true
c) She has not heard it before
d) She wants everyone to repeat it
Show answer
a) She does not believe it is true
