1
a
: a mechanical device for secretly and dishonestly controlling gambling apparatus
b
: an ingenious or novel mechanical device : gadget
2
a
: an important feature that is not immediately apparent : catch
… few readers would look for a gimmick in an advertisement featuring airline schedules, but few would fail to look for the fine print in an ad announcing New Low-Price Fares.—
Robert L. Heilbroner
Robert L. Heilbroner
b
: an ingenious and usually new scheme or angle
Even in professional careers, mere competence and craftsmanship is no substitute for a gimmick.—James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik
c
: a trick or device used to attract business or attention
a marketing gimmick
gimmicked; gimmicking; gimmicks
Synonyms
Examples of gimmick in a Sentence
Noun
The proposal to cut taxes was just an election gimmick to win votes.
that free dinner is just a sales gimmick to get you to listen to their sales pitch
Recent Examples on the WebBrent Lang, Variety, 1 Dec. 2023
The gimmick was that owners had to be macho or their cards could be revoked.
—James Bandler, ProPublica, 21 Nov. 2023
There are plenty of hunting gimmicks and gadgets that aren’t worth it.
—The Editors, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023
That particular theater, as a gimmick, parked an ambulance outside the lobby in case anybody fainted.
—Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2023
This sense of ease pervaded spring’s best shows and clothes, which shirked recent seasons’ gimmicks, flash and frippery and instead brought women feel-good outfits for everyday.
—WSJ, 6 Oct. 2023
The middle third of the film is poorly paced; horror gimmicks that initially shock are, at times, overused; and the visuals can sometimes feel two-dimensional and bland.
—Lucas Trevor, Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2023
Yet, this cartoon band has defied the odds, delivered the goods and outlived any questions of being a gimmick.
—Jim Harrington, SPIN, 8 Nov. 2023
Using it to whole-cloth imitate someone’s voice is really little more than a gimmick.
—WIRED, 6 Nov. 2023
Keep Mario Weird, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2023
Soon, promoters added drag races, small jumps, and gimmicks like tug-of-war.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
Eyes on 2024: Fundraising gimmicks galore Two GOP presidential hopefuls are deploying an unusual fundraising tactic: giving their donors cold, hard cash.
—Chuck Todd, NBC News, 11 July 2023
Pat Brown gimmicked the accounting system to escape raising taxes again before Republican Ronald Reagan ousted him in 1966.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2020
See More
Noun
The gimmick here is that all that carnage unfolds with zero dialogue.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 1 Dec. 2023
The gimmick was that owners had to be macho or their cards could be revoked.
—James Bandler, ProPublica, 21 Nov. 2023
There are plenty of hunting gimmicks and gadgets that aren’t worth it.
—The Editors, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023
That particular theater, as a gimmick, parked an ambulance outside the lobby in case anybody fainted.
—Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2023
This sense of ease pervaded spring’s best shows and clothes, which shirked recent seasons’ gimmicks, flash and frippery and instead brought women feel-good outfits for everyday.
—WSJ, 6 Oct. 2023
The middle third of the film is poorly paced; horror gimmicks that initially shock are, at times, overused; and the visuals can sometimes feel two-dimensional and bland.
—Lucas Trevor, Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2023
Yet, this cartoon band has defied the odds, delivered the goods and outlived any questions of being a gimmick.
—Jim Harrington, SPIN, 8 Nov. 2023
Using it to whole-cloth imitate someone’s voice is really little more than a gimmick.
—WIRED, 6 Nov. 2023
Verb
Mainline Mario games are often defined by a novel central mechanic, or gimmick, with the more effective ones unlocking a fresh angle on the franchise and the platformer as a genre.
—Keep Mario Weird, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2023
Soon, promoters added drag races, small jumps, and gimmicks like tug-of-war.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
Eyes on 2024: Fundraising gimmicks galore Two GOP presidential hopefuls are deploying an unusual fundraising tactic: giving their donors cold, hard cash.
—Chuck Todd, NBC News, 11 July 2023
Pat Brown gimmicked the accounting system to escape raising taxes again before Republican Ronald Reagan ousted him in 1966.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2020
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gimmick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near gimmick
Cite this Entry
“Gimmick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gimmick. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
gimmick
noun
gim·mick
ˈgim-ik
1
a
: an ingenious scheme or device
b
: a trick or device used to attract business or attention
a marketing gimmick
2
: an important feature that is not immediately apparent
gimmicky
adjective
-i-kē
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