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
On the opposite end, skeptics wave AI off as smoke and mirrors.
—
Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Clearly, Putin is counting on Trump backing down and falling victim to his smoke and mirrors.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 Aug. 2025
Not too much glitz and glamor and smoke and mirrors.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2025
These numbers are not smoke and mirrors or budgeting gimmicks.
—Patrick A. McLaughlin, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smoke and mirrors
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Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Clearly, Putin is counting on Trump backing down and falling victim to his smoke and mirrors.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 Aug. 2025
Not too much glitz and glamor and smoke and mirrors.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2025
These numbers are not smoke and mirrors or budgeting gimmicks.
—Patrick A. McLaughlin, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 2025.
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