smoke and mirrors
plural noun
: something intended to disguise or draw attention away from an often embarrassing or unpleasant issue
—usually hyphenated when used attributively
Examples of smoke and mirrors in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Now he’s asked to start smoke and mirrors in the backfield if some answers aren’t coming.
—
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 29 July 2025
But there’s this unease under it about what ta-da! would be without the smoke and mirrors.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 July 2025
Given that Trump cannot revoke the citizenship of someone born in the U.S., his post is all smoke and mirrors.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 15 July 2025
Trump’s ‘smoke and mirrors’ But the government has not signaled any sense of hysteria about Trump’s decision to hold off on a strike on Iran for two weeks.
—Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for smoke and mirrors
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Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 29 July 2025
But there’s this unease under it about what ta-da! would be without the smoke and mirrors.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 July 2025
Given that Trump cannot revoke the citizenship of someone born in the U.S., his post is all smoke and mirrors.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 15 July 2025
Trump’s ‘smoke and mirrors’ But the government has not signaled any sense of hysteria about Trump’s decision to hold off on a strike on Iran for two weeks.
—Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for smoke and mirrors
Cite this Entry
“Smoke and mirrors.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smoke%20and%20mirrors. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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