bells and whistles

plural noun

: items or features that are useful or decorative but not essential : frills

Examples of bells and whistles in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Designed with three zones to address hip and lumbar support and cooling technology with a layer of the brand’s Cool Twist gel foam, there are just enough bells and whistles in this relatively simple mattress. —Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026

There’s no gimmicks or bells and whistles to this story. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026

While the biggest Wall Street funds pay tens of thousands of dollars for single accounts to access this critical information, among other bells and whistles, CNBC Pro curates what is truly necessary for a fraction of the price. —CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026

While both companies have microwaves that will satisfy your needs, Samsung’s products have all the newest bells and whistles and have a price tag to match. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bells and whistles

• bristles
• missals
• missiles
• thistles
• dismissals
• epistles

Kids Definition

bells and whistles

plural noun

: items or features that are useful or decorative but not necessary

a new car with lots of bells and whistles