1
as in ruses
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in gadgets
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 hitches
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gimmicks
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
Production gimmicks and visuals are kept to a minimum, with an on-the-ground camera crew capturing angles most pop stars wouldn’t dare show.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
Stop gimmicks like hard appraisal caps that just shift the burden to others and drive up housing costs.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Oct. 2025
Rather than chasing gimmicks, the company has doubled down on image quality, system reliability, and post-incident usability.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
Stripping all the fat and gimmicks from recent entries like Battlefield 2024 (2021) and Battlefield 1 (2016), the gameplay style has gone back to emulate the design of the series’ best installments like Battlefield 3 and 4 (2011 and 2013).
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025
And then this was like no gimmicks on it at all.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
Avoid the gimmicks and stick with the classics.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
But don’t feel pressured to pay extra for gimmicks.
—Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2025
Production gimmicks and visuals are kept to a minimum, with an on-the-ground camera crew capturing angles most pop stars wouldn’t dare show.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
Stop gimmicks like hard appraisal caps that just shift the burden to others and drive up housing costs.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Oct. 2025
Rather than chasing gimmicks, the company has doubled down on image quality, system reliability, and post-incident usability.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
Stripping all the fat and gimmicks from recent entries like Battlefield 2024 (2021) and Battlefield 1 (2016), the gameplay style has gone back to emulate the design of the series’ best installments like Battlefield 3 and 4 (2011 and 2013).
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025
And then this was like no gimmicks on it at all.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
Avoid the gimmicks and stick with the classics.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
But don’t feel pressured to pay extra for gimmicks.
—Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gimmicks
Noun
-
Many suspect a spam call and don't pick up the phone, leading foundation staff to sometimes devise ruses.—
Kelly Meyerhofer,
jsonline.com,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Episode 4 finds both Ellen and Julia throwing themselves headlong into plans that require them to keep up major ruses.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
That being said, some travel essentials stay packed and ready—the gear, gadgets, and go-tos that make every trip that much easier.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
-
These gadgets include single or double kettlebell handles, an EZ curl bar, a straight bar, plus an optional pulley system and set of elastic resistance bands.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The two-door, three-person Can-Am Defender Limited and the four-door, six-person Defender Max Limited have 82-horsepower engines, power steering, tow hitches with a 2,500-pound towing capacity, winches, air conditioning and heating, a full hard roof and a three-position tilt-up glass windshield.—
Steve Waters,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
-
My connection often improved a few minutes later, but those drops could result in stuttering in games, hitches in streaming, and slow file downloads.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The hilarious hijinks that ensue are centered on a rugby-playing rascal whose initial interests in pulling chicks and working get-rich-quick schemes give way to a lifelong love of writing poetry in the post-Soviet-occupation era of the 1990s.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Massive schemes, such as those tied to the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, where fraudsters stole over $250 million in pandemic-era school meal aid, are just one chunk of the theft, according to federal prosecutors.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Twelve of the 20 indicators for the health risks and impacts of climate change in the report set concerning new records—showing that the health impacts caused by our changing climate have reached unprecedented levels that cannot be ignored.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
-
No matter what happens at their meeting, China’s ambitions will still pose the same long-term risks to American interests, American allies, and American power.—
Mira Rapp-Hooper,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The National Fire Protection Association recommends that devices not be charged under a pillow, or on a bed or couch.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The team hopes the new battery could power next-generation aircraft, drones, and portable devices.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The issue is how to inject capital without falling prey to some of the pitfalls of aid dependency.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
-
To some extent, these pitfalls are unavoidable.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The decor is relatively spare, allowing the natural materials to shine and emphasizing clever design tricks like the dining-table bench built into the back of the kitchen island.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
31 Oct. 2025
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Subscribe today As Halloween looms, Wall Street is balancing tricks and treats.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gimmicks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gimmicks. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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