The story turned out to be just a wild canard with no basis in reality.
false canard
Frequency:
60
%
The rumor circulating about the company was a false canard meant to stir up trouble.
political canard
Frequency:
45
%
The candidate's speech was full of political canards aimed at discrediting his opponent.
Idiomatic Expressions for canard
Phrase: a canard that won't fly
Meaning: an unconvincing or easily debunked falsehood
Usage: The tabloid published a canard that won't fly, claiming that the celebrity was an alien.