smoke screen
noun
1
: a screen of smoke to hinder enemy observation of a military force, area, or activity
2
: something designed to obscure, confuse, or mislead
Examples of smoke screen in a Sentence
His campaign promises were just a smoke screen.
The truth was hidden behind a smoke screen of lies.
Recent Examples on the Web
The exposure of political smoke screens The uprising also exposed manufactured alternatives.
—
Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 18 Jan. 2026
Another thing worth noting is that there are plenty of smoke screens that emerge from the winter meetings.
—Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Set the smoke screens differently depending on the wind.
—Carolyn Forché, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Politicians should weigh genuine options and be forced, to whatever extent possible, to explain their ends, rather than treat such ideals as democracy and freedom like smoke screens for secret ones.
—Samuel Moyn, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for smoke screen
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Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 18 Jan. 2026
Another thing worth noting is that there are plenty of smoke screens that emerge from the winter meetings.
—Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Set the smoke screens differently depending on the wind.
—Carolyn Forché, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Politicians should weigh genuine options and be forced, to whatever extent possible, to explain their ends, rather than treat such ideals as democracy and freedom like smoke screens for secret ones.
—Samuel Moyn, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for smoke screen
Cite this Entry
“Smoke screen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smoke%20screen. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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