window dressing

Definition of window dressingnext
as in facade
a deceptively attractive external appearance the crime-does-not-pay moralizing is just window dressing for nasty hard-boiled stories

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of window dressing Artistic Vision Put to Work Cohen’s artistic vision isn’t just aesthetic window dressing. Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025 When window dressing takes away from that central conceit, what’s the point? Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 9 Dec. 2025 Events like these aren’t window dressing—they’re deal flow engines. Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 To recreate the rickety window dressing, construct a frame of white lattice strips, cut boards from veneer paneling, then staple them at angles into the frame. Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for window dressing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for window dressing
facade
Noun
  • The façade recalls traditional earthen walls and is studded with tile fragments and artifacts unearthed during construction.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
  • While this might create a show-stopping facade, bigger isn’t always better.
    Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Window dressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/window%20dressing. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.

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