1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
that free dinner is just a sales gimmick to get you to listen to their sales pitch
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2
as in gadget
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use
a car equipped with a parking spot locator and other neat gimmicks
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the deal sounds too good to be true, so make sure there aren't any gimmicks
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gimmick
The three resorts enjoyed expansion and growth throughout the 2010s by utilizing low prices, gimmicks and attractions to lure guests.
—
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
The fundraising gimmick is unlikely to sway skeptics who view GameStop’s bid for a company four times its size as a nonstarter.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
The gimmick lasted just one game and quickly irked his fellow owners and league officials.
—Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 6 May 2026
By contrast, the Republican plan relies on one-off gimmicks and volatile funding schemes that don’t last.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
The fundraising gimmick is unlikely to sway skeptics who view GameStop’s bid for a company four times its size as a nonstarter.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
The gimmick lasted just one game and quickly irked his fellow owners and league officials.
—Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 6 May 2026
By contrast, the Republican plan relies on one-off gimmicks and volatile funding schemes that don’t last.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gimmick
Noun
-
However, the latter is revealed to be a ruse on the part of the trickster god.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
-
While sustaining the ruse for months, Ale arranged with an expectant young mother who didn’t want her child to take that woman’s newborn as her own.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In March, the gadget received the PTCRB certification, which is required for every North American smartphone.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
Reducing screentime That sense of intention is part of the draw for 23-year-old content creator Chonnie Alfonso, who typically features retro gadgets on her YouTube channel.—
Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Had that gone off without a hitch, it would've been forgotten.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
-
In the aftermath of the BAFTA Film Awards, the BBC created a new set of protocols, which now need to be unleashed without a hitch as the public broadcaster bids to avoid a repeat of the disaster.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Except this time, with a new head coach, new offensive and defensive schemes, new selflessness and trust in each other, the Knicks look better.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
In the grand scheme of things, that is the blink of a marmoset’s eye.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The proposal also requires Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the month-long period – arguably one of Iran’s strongest tools of leverage against the United States in the ongoing war.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
Gray stone, wooden beams, iron tools.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Multiple spills — including the 1997 Torch/Platform Irene spill, the 2007 San Francisco Bay Cosco Busan bunker fuel spill, and the 2021 Huntington Beach pipeline leak — have reinforced California’s argument that expanded drilling and aging pipelines pose ongoing environmental risks.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
And other states might not want to take similar risks.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Many of his later programs have been capped by a coda in which the tricks of the trade are laid bare—no trick being more vital than that of extreme patience, with camera operators waiting days, or even weeks, for the right cub, or pup, or fledgling, or froglet, to show up.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
There is not a whole lot to chuckle about these days, and her column does the trick for me every week.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Some have already pointed out the system’s pitfalls, however.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
-
No matter what happens at the SJC, there are still plenty of pitfalls for her.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gimmick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gimmick. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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