Cheat

Bullshit (often abbreviated "BS" or shortened to "bull" in more formal contexts) is a common English expletive meaning "false statements" or, as an interjection, "that statement is false".

It usually has the further connotation that the subject is making such statements to manipulate the listener or to further an agenda, and either knows they are false or has no interest in their factual accuracy one way or the other. "Talking bullshit" is thus a lesser form of lying, and is likely to elicit a correspondingly weaker emotional response: whereas an obvious liar may be greeted with outrage and hatred, an exponent of bullshit tends to be dismissed with a indifferent sneer.

Bullshit is commonly employed in sales, advertising, journalism and the broadcast media, and in some areas of religion or politics where truth and accuracy are far less important than the ability to achieve a suitable response in the audience. In many cases, such a response involves the gaining of popularity or favour, as is required in politics or advertising, although there are far more mundane examples of bullshit being involved in the lives of ordinary people. It is not at all uncommon to hear of somebody "bullshitting" a job interview, for example, or to attribute their performance in an examination to their ability to bullshit. In this sense, bullshitting walks the line between extemporaneous speaking and lying outright.

Bullshit is also used in the popular saying "money talks, bullshit walks" meaning that people who do something will get more results than people who merely talk.

See also: Tall tale