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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of gimmick
There was a time when 3D and IMAX were thought of as gimmicks, right?
—
Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
During a recent interview with No-Contest Wrestling, the former World Heavyweight Champion disclosed that he was pitched a gimmick called 'Runway Man' for his main roster debut.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Some of the visual and editorial gimmicks feel a bit desperate in trying to lend third-hand ideas a patina of fresh excitement, but the film’s tech and design factors are solid for its relatively modest scale.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
The 65-year-old exercise instructor and fitness personality didn’t rely on gimmicks to get Mel Owen’s attention.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
During a recent interview with No-Contest Wrestling, the former World Heavyweight Champion disclosed that he was pitched a gimmick called 'Runway Man' for his main roster debut.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Some of the visual and editorial gimmicks feel a bit desperate in trying to lend third-hand ideas a patina of fresh excitement, but the film’s tech and design factors are solid for its relatively modest scale.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
The 65-year-old exercise instructor and fitness personality didn’t rely on gimmicks to get Mel Owen’s attention.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gimmick
Noun
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Odysseus, the Ithacan warrior who is as celebrated for craftiness as Achilles is for brute strength, devises a clever ruse in which the Greeks place a giant wooden horse outside Troy’s walls and pretend to sail away.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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This basement ruse allows the law to be ignored as well as the special zoning requirements for homeless shelters and transitional housing.—
Lou Murray,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The gadget charges via a USB-C port and can also be used while charging.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
4 Nov. 2025
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And just as Shakespeare relentlessly intensified Lear’s individuality, so did Jobs make each gadget more itself, eschewing generic compromise to magnify exceptionality.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Head coach Kevin Young replaced Mark Pope without a hitch last year, and the Cougars have headliner status with the addition of AJ Dybantsa.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Many have had the wheels or hitches removed years ago.—
Cassie Powell,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In the below example, against Real Oviedo’s zonal scheme protecting the six-yard box, three players run away from goal and one to the near-post to attack Marcus Rashford’s outswinger, resulting in Araujo scoring.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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All of that has left the Heat seeking answers in the immediate aftermath of Rozier’s Thursday arrest stemming from his alleged involvement in a sports betting scheme.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Microsoft unveiled a new category of PC that features generative artificial intelligence tools built into Windows, the company's world-leading operating system.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
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When selecting a specific use case to pursue, Pantone considered the struggles its customers had previously brought to the company’s attention and surveyed other tools on the market for designers and creatives.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Wireless systems also pose new safety risks, such as stray magnetic fields, fire hazards, and heating of metal objects, requiring further research and development (R&D) and stricter standardization.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
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Oddly empty flight = higher risk of cancellation.—
The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The oldest trick in the book … foiled by those pesky Bravo cameras.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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The next evolution of creative culture isn’t faster turnaround or cooler AI tricks.—
Rochelle Ratkaj,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Despite the potential pitfalls, many remain undeterred by DIY challenges.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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Sandwich generation faces financial pitfalls Even though most adults don't want their aging parents to live with them, many still find themselves in that situation.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gimmick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gimmick. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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