window dressing

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

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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 Most investors are now looking for substance — companies that use AI not as window dressing, but as a core enabler of long-term value. Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 Look for former clinicians, policy experts and health plan operators at the leadership table—not just advisors used for window dressing. Amber Nigam, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025 Theatrical window dressing and historical context are provided by some of the greatest celebrities of the early 20th century: Magician Harry Houdini, anarchist Emma Goldman, scandalous vaudeville star Evelyn Nesbit and the great orator/educator Booker T. Washington. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2025 That timing means the truce would start at 5 p.m. Eastern time, on May 7, and last until 5 p.m. Eastern time on May 10. Ukraine, which previously agreed to President Trump’s proposal of a full 30-day ceasefire, dismissed Putin’s move as window dressing. Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for window dressing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for window dressing
facade
Noun
  • Meanwhile, on Gran Roque, pastel facades peek through palm fronds, and barefoot locals steer wooden boats across glassy lagoons.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • The facade preservation will precede demolition of the rest of the building, according to a Sheetz news release.
    Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 5 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Window dressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/window%20dressing. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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