Potemkin village

Definition of Potemkin villagenext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of Potemkin village Only Alain seems eager to ignore the disinformation and embrace this Potemkin village as the real deal (except when his eyes show a gathering concern). Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025 But his proudest accomplishments amount to little more than a progressive Potemkin village. Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025 Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder portray a married couple who build a Potemkin village of eco-friendly homes and pour-over coffee shops in a struggling New Mexico town. Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 But behind the Potemkin village, the Khmer Rouge regime is declining and the war with Vietnam threatens to invade the country. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2024 The resort reproduces an ancient Apulian town and farmhouse in a project that some locals have likened to a Mediterranean Potemkin village. Emma Bubola, New York Times, 11 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Potemkin village
Noun
  • This leaves some experts questioning whether AI could be serving as a fig leaf for companies that are laying off employees for old-fashioned reasons, such as financial underperformance or global economic uncertainty.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
  • New Zealand Christmas trees, fig leaf plants and paspalum grass accent the outdoor living space.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Nothing flexes supremacy like a reverse somersault on one foot, landing on a blade as thick as a MacBook Air screen, being just a bonus element of a program.
    Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Medved’s offense prides itself on constant cutting, screens and sharing the ball at a high rate.
    Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • This chemical bond directs the material to organize into highly stable, low-dimensional layers that serve as a structural shield on the conventional three-dimensional perovskite.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Orion also traveled with a massive club and shield to fend off large predators like lions, bears, or wild boar.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Setting decoys, crafting a blind and getting ready to hunt together, Crowson and I were in our element.
    Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 18 Dec. 2025
  • Why don’t small-town police ever close their interrogation-room blinds?
    Emma Specter, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Potemkin village.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Potemkin%20village. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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