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
The debut bag has three elegant styles with no logos, no gimmicks, Italian leather, and impeccable structure.
—
Air Mail, 27 Sep. 2025
But the gimmick ended on a happy note for the Boys & Girls Club after CBS and Bargatze added to the tally and got it up to a grand total of $350,000 — much to the delight of the audience.
—Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
Not a gimmick, not a demo, but something people rely on every single day.
—Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Early reactions from visitors have been positive, signaling that AI in hospitality is more than a gimmick.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Air Mail, 27 Sep. 2025
But the gimmick ended on a happy note for the Boys & Girls Club after CBS and Bargatze added to the tally and got it up to a grand total of $350,000 — much to the delight of the audience.
—Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
Not a gimmick, not a demo, but something people rely on every single day.
—Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Early reactions from visitors have been positive, signaling that AI in hospitality is more than a gimmick.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gimmick
Noun
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But authorities now believe Speight made the whole story up — and even shot himself as part of a ruse.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
-
How could Russ possibly sustain this ruse?—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The middle aisle is restocked with home goods, organizers, candles, cleaning gadgets, even clothing and shoes, and new ALDI food items are stocked on the shelves, perched and ready for the deals to be snapped up by customers.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
30 Sep. 2025
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If a specific style or gadget encourages you to drink more, that’s great.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
No concerns are raised, and the scheme goes off without a hitch.—
Andrew Bernard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The cozy farming simulator’s color visuals looked excellent, without a single performance hitch.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Rosenzweig worked on dozens of complex cases as a prosecutor in the economic crimes section, which focuses on healthcare fraud, money laundering and other financial schemes.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
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The Lions’ surprisingly poor showing against their NFC North rivals kneecapped CBS’ deliveries, although the Eye Network also didn’t get much of a lift from the new BDP scheme.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Having a familiar presence like Joan at Westside Hospital is a helpful tool for Amy, who’s still rebuilding her life after the season 1 car crash that left her with a traumatic brain injury, wiping her memories of the previous eight years.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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Movies That Don’t Exist, a native digital format created and directed by Hernández, where AI becomes an experimental tool that amplifies creativity and connects with audiences through his YouTube channel, with over 3 million subscribers.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Providing fiber for digestion, there’s fresh broccoli along with antioxidants to help reduce the risk of certain cancers.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
MacLean added that Venezuelans with TPS who are currently in custody and lack any other form of protection will now face a serious risk of deportation.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The most exciting feature is the realistic mask, though, which has mesh eyes for kids to see through while trick-or-treating, and an adjustable strap to fit their head properly.—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
1 Oct. 2025
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Perhaps most frustrating, two Johnson attempts to dig into his trick bag misfired.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This unit is engineered to avoid those pitfalls.—
Noel Cymone Walker,
StyleCaster,
29 Sep. 2025
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Not only are both movies about the pleasures and pitfalls of collaborative art-making; both also emerged from the labyrinth of Linklater’s own long-term creative relationships.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gimmick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gimmick. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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