smoke and mirrors
plural noun
: something intended to disguise or draw attention away from an often embarrassing or unpleasant issue
—usually hyphenated when used attributively
Examples of smoke and mirrors in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For Duckworth, Trump’s IVF executive order is a lot of smoke and mirrors.
—
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2025
Barca’s board seem to be masters at smoke and mirrors.
—Laia Cervelló Herrero, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Biden’s legacy on job creation is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
—James M. Hohman, National Review, 3 Jan. 2025
And parts of it are nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
—Drew Gerber, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smoke and mirrors 
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Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2025
Barca’s board seem to be masters at smoke and mirrors.
—Laia Cervelló Herrero, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Biden’s legacy on job creation is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
—James M. Hohman, National Review, 3 Jan. 2025
And parts of it are nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
—Drew Gerber, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smoke and mirrors
Dictionary Entries Near smoke and mirrors
Cite this Entry
“Smoke and mirrors.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smoke%20and%20mirrors. Accessed 26 Feb. 2025.
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