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 risks
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of gimmicks
No over-the-top marketing gimmicks.
—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s no gimmicks or bells and whistles to this story.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
There really is no Zero-SP path and few structural gimmicks.
—Michael Salfino, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
The whole night seemed driven by gimmicks more than a clear or coherent message, and was devoid of any new policy ideas that would be obvious wins for GOP lawmakers.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
No gimmicks, just fashion at face value.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
Forget about sonic devices, scare devices or other gimmicks.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
There are no gimmicks, there’s no learning curve.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
No gimmicks, no nonsense, straight shooter, the woman who gets things done.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s no gimmicks or bells and whistles to this story.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
There really is no Zero-SP path and few structural gimmicks.
—Michael Salfino, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
The whole night seemed driven by gimmicks more than a clear or coherent message, and was devoid of any new policy ideas that would be obvious wins for GOP lawmakers.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
No gimmicks, just fashion at face value.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
Forget about sonic devices, scare devices or other gimmicks.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
There are no gimmicks, there’s no learning curve.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
No gimmicks, no nonsense, straight shooter, the woman who gets things done.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gimmicks
Noun
-
The New York Colored American reported that some offers of short-term work for Black men — moving livestock to or from Kentucky, for example — were ruses that ended with kidnappings.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
The brand is exploring hardware gadgets designed by Jony Ive, as well as upgrading other projects such as its Sora video generation and Atlas web browser.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Handy kitchen gadgets are among the best deals to grab right now, including this best-selling vegetable chopper that makes quick work of dicing, chopping, and prepping ingredients for your next meal.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The risks increase with each infection.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Naloxone became widely available, restrictions on medications for opioid use disorder loosened, and communities educated people on the risks of fentanyl.—
Grey Gardner,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The kickbacks — financial incentives by providers to get people signed up for services — are a fixture in some of the fraud schemes plaguing state programs.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
In schemes orchestrated with Iza, Coberg arranged a fake drug arrest and stood guard while a victim was extorted.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But her journey hasn’t been without a few hitches.—
Aaron Tolentino,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The draft horse shows this week during the stock show’s 120th anniversary will include 15 six-horse hitches, or six horses pulling a wagon.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Though the Bird Cage has been outfitted with modern lighting capable of new theme park tricks and projections, the rig is hidden among curtains designed to re-create the look of the original tent.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Raúl had taught us dribbling tricks and how to hit a header from a corner shot.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Here, three interior designers chime in with five things that make backyards look bad and why—be sure to steer clear of these pitfalls at all costs.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Her presentation went over steps needed to take to register to vote, common pitfalls, ballot security and new laws.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Indeed, Hamilton says that in her experience, most runners, when left to their own devices, do all of their easy runs at a faster-than-necessary pace.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Later, O’Brien touted a fake company tasked with reformatting movies for smaller and smaller handheld devices, but the joke missed the mark.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gimmicks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gimmicks. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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