false sense of security
noun phrase
: a feeling of being safer than one really is
The gun gave him a false sense of security.
Examples of false sense of security in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In all the discussion of Tesla’s self-driving Autopilot program, there is no mention of the blockbuster revelation from a former engineer that one of the first key promotions of Autopilot was staged, contributing to the false sense of security buyers had in the program.
—
Brian Merchant, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2023
Such climate models can, at times, mislead us regarding our progress and bring a false sense of security.
—Devika Rao, The Week, 23 Aug. 2023
But the mountain’s sheer familiarity — millions of people live within an hour of the trailhead — can create a false sense of security, especially in winter.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2023
Applying sunscreen can also encourage people to spend more time in the sun; a link has been found between sunburns and sunscreen use, because a sloppy application lends a false sense of security.
—Grace Browne, WIRED, 12 July 2023
The United States should not be lulled into a false sense of security by its continuing firepower advantage or the fact that its defense budget remains orders of magnitude larger than Beijing’s.
—Hillary Rodham Clinton, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2020
Once a tumor is removed, the dyed cells can help surgeons assess what part to send to pathology, avoiding the false sense of security that can come from sampling the wrong bit of tissue or cutting out more healthy cells than necessary – from, say, the nerves, tongue or brain, Rosenthal said.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2023
Give the Huskies a false sense of security.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2023
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Brian Merchant, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2023
Such climate models can, at times, mislead us regarding our progress and bring a false sense of security.
—Devika Rao, The Week, 23 Aug. 2023
But the mountain’s sheer familiarity — millions of people live within an hour of the trailhead — can create a false sense of security, especially in winter.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2023
Applying sunscreen can also encourage people to spend more time in the sun; a link has been found between sunburns and sunscreen use, because a sloppy application lends a false sense of security.
—Grace Browne, WIRED, 12 July 2023
The United States should not be lulled into a false sense of security by its continuing firepower advantage or the fact that its defense budget remains orders of magnitude larger than Beijing’s.
—Hillary Rodham Clinton, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2020
Once a tumor is removed, the dyed cells can help surgeons assess what part to send to pathology, avoiding the false sense of security that can come from sampling the wrong bit of tissue or cutting out more healthy cells than necessary – from, say, the nerves, tongue or brain, Rosenthal said.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2023
Give the Huskies a false sense of security.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'false sense of security.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near false sense of security
Cite this Entry
“False sense of security.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/false%20sense%20of%20security. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.
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