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
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
These will help determine whether Beijing is really moving away from Pyongyang or simply playing the same smoke and mirrors game, designed to trap the United States in a doomed negotiation that spares China a near-term crisis on its border, but ultimately just kicks the can down the road.
—Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs, 21 Mar. 2017
But more often than not, those assumptions are just smoke and mirrors.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smoke and mirrors 
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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
These will help determine whether Beijing is really moving away from Pyongyang or simply playing the same smoke and mirrors game, designed to trap the United States in a doomed negotiation that spares China a near-term crisis on its border, but ultimately just kicks the can down the road.
—Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs, 21 Mar. 2017
But more often than not, those assumptions are just smoke and mirrors.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 6 Nov. 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 18 Jan. 2025.
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