1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
that free dinner is just a sales gimmick to get you to listen to their sales pitch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in gadget
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use
a car equipped with a parking spot locator and other neat gimmicks
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the deal sounds too good to be true, so make sure there aren't any gimmicks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gimmick
Stop gimmicks like hard appraisal caps that just shift the burden to others and drive up housing costs.
—
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Oct. 2025
So far its an okay gimmick, but this can get really old really soon.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
Rather than chasing gimmicks, the company has doubled down on image quality, system reliability, and post-incident usability.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
The materials feel premium — sturdy canvas that softens with wear, tweed that frays with character, and enamel pins that add personality without gimmick.
—Christopher Claxton, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Oct. 2025
So far its an okay gimmick, but this can get really old really soon.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
Rather than chasing gimmicks, the company has doubled down on image quality, system reliability, and post-incident usability.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
The materials feel premium — sturdy canvas that softens with wear, tweed that frays with character, and enamel pins that add personality without gimmick.
—Christopher Claxton, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gimmick
Noun
-
But the ruse hits a snag when Taylor's boss (Tia Mowry) starts to question Hugh Mann's credentials, and Taylor starts dating the son of the resort owner (New Amsterdam's Ryan Eggold).—
Breanne L. Heldman,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
-
My office was among those that were subjected to this ruse.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The OnePedal is currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter, where the gadget is being discounted from expected $550 retail price down to $499 at the time of writing.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
20 Oct. 2025
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While most of us on the plane were in this same unexpected predicament, a passenger nearby didn't seem to be sharing in our misery thanks to a compact gadget propped up their phone to the perfect viewing height.—
Anita Katee,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Season 51 of the variety series has seemed to have gone on without a hitch after several notable names left the show ahead of the new season's premiere.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Alubidy grabbed a trailer tow hitch and bludgeoned the 5-foot-tall, 130-pound victim.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
His conviction stemmed from a series of criminal schemes, including submitting false campaign finance documents, misusing donor identities to route funds for personal and campaign use, and providing fraudulent information to the New York State Department of Labor and the House of Representatives.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Doors and Window Frames in a Deep Shade The final component of Berkus’ three-color scheme is the deeper tone, often a darker shade of the wall color, used for doors or window frames.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For Lauren, the idea for their current AI tool began 25 years ago.—
Tharin Pillay,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
-
But your browser is where all of your work, tools, and context come together.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The risk to coffee production from climate change has some researchers trying to develop more climate-resistant varieties of coffee.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
-
This can increase the risk of burns or further injury.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating are also on this month's calendar for the shelter's young residents, who range from under a year old to 18.—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
21 Oct. 2025
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The trick was just finding that next pile of exorbitant wealth and luring it in with our siren song of cultural relevance and creative ambition.—
John Lopez,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Common pitfalls include adding too much salt, relying heavily on canned varieties, and using too much cream or butter.—
Brian Mastroianni,
Health,
22 Oct. 2025
-
At the time, Sinegal was dismissive of the women’s concerns—a reminder of the pitfalls of turning one person’s ethos into an organization’s moral compass.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gimmick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gimmick. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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