Standard Lemma guide

blarney

name · noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈblɑɹni/
  • Ireland: /ˈblaːɹni/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈblɑːni/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)ni

1

name

Meaning 1

A town in County Cork, Ireland, location of Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone (Irish grid ref W 6175).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Mindless chatter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • He is full of blarney.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Ability to talk constantly and fluently.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Persuasive flattery or kind speech; smooth, wheedling talk.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To beguile with flattery.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

flattery designed to gain favor

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: coaxing, soft soap, sweet talk

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: flattery

7

verb

Meaning 7

influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He palavered her into going along

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: wheedle, cajole, palaver, coax, sweet-talk, inveigle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: persuade

Narrower terms: soft-soap, browbeat, bully, swagger

History

Etymology

From Irish Blarna.

Named after a legendary magical stone in Blarney Castle, Ireland that gives the gift of eloquence. See also Blarney Stone.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Irish: An Bhlarna — Town in County Cork
  • Korean: 블라니 (beullani) — Town in County Cork
  • German: Geschwätz — mindless chatter
  • German: Schmeichelei — flattery
  • German: Flunkerei — flattery
  • Turkish: piyaz — flattery