parlor trick
noun
variants
US parlor trick
or British parlour trick
plural parlor tricks
: a usually simple trick or demonstration that is used especially to entertain or amuse guests
… this book … includes classic parlor tricks such as piercing a balloon with a needle without popping it, and yanking a tablecloth out from under bottles and plates.—
Dolly Setton
—sometimes used figurativelyDolly SettonTheir game is an illusion, a political parlor trick: Hold down funding for key priorities, such as K-12 education, or universities, and then when revenues create a surplus, call it an "overpayment" by taxpayers.—Mike Owen
Mike OwenMethods of reporting change, and with the fierce competition of the Internet age, many reporters have resorted to ambush journalism or other parlor tricks.—David Yas
David YasExamples of parlor trick in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But Musgraves doesn’t need those sort of parlor tricks to put her songs across.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 28 Sep. 2024
These solo shows included parlor tricks (such as underwater eating, drinking, and writing), demonstrations of underwater agility (such as flips and contortions), and feats of endurance (such as extreme breath-holding)—not to mention gliding around the tank looking beautiful.
—Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024
The irony is that the very moment the danger becomes real for Jack — when his seemingly harmless trifling with the darkness stops being just for show — is also the fakest moment of the film, a mere parlor trick itself.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
The findings have meaning that go beyond canine parlor tricks, opening up the possibility of virtual human-dog communications, serving to entertain the animals and provide emotional support to human companions.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 5 June 2024
Balance, of course, is a journalistic parlor trick.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Earmarks are just a legislative parlor trick that allows individual members of Congress to mandate spending on specific projects, which often – but not always – benefit their cronies or some special interest.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024
The book thrums with a newfound pessimism; Ariely seems to have lost faith in his old parlor tricks.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
These experiments are more than just fancy parlor tricks.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 19 Sep. 2023
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.
Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 28 Sep. 2024
These solo shows included parlor tricks (such as underwater eating, drinking, and writing), demonstrations of underwater agility (such as flips and contortions), and feats of endurance (such as extreme breath-holding)—not to mention gliding around the tank looking beautiful.
—Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024
The irony is that the very moment the danger becomes real for Jack — when his seemingly harmless trifling with the darkness stops being just for show — is also the fakest moment of the film, a mere parlor trick itself.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
The findings have meaning that go beyond canine parlor tricks, opening up the possibility of virtual human-dog communications, serving to entertain the animals and provide emotional support to human companions.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 5 June 2024
Balance, of course, is a journalistic parlor trick.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Earmarks are just a legislative parlor trick that allows individual members of Congress to mandate spending on specific projects, which often – but not always – benefit their cronies or some special interest.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024
The book thrums with a newfound pessimism; Ariely seems to have lost faith in his old parlor tricks.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
These experiments are more than just fancy parlor tricks.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 19 Sep. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near parlor trick
Cite this Entry
“Parlor trick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parlor%20trick. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share