Meaning & use
gimmicky
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Using a clever trick or unusual feature to attract attention, often lacking real value or quality.
Grammar: Can be used before a noun (a gimmicky design) or after a linking verb (the design is gimmicky).
Patterns
- gimmicky design
- gimmicky feature
- seem gimmicky
The phone's new camera feature feels gimmicky and not very useful.
Critics called the movie's 3D effects gimmicky and distracting.
The marketing campaign was too gimmicky to be taken seriously.
Word forms
| comparative | gimmickier |
|---|---|
| superlative | gimmickiest |
Common combinations
- gimmicky design
- The toy's gimmicky design broke after a week.
- gimmicky feature
- The app's gimmicky feature was fun at first but soon ignored.
- seem gimmicky
- The whole idea seemed gimmicky to investors.
- too gimmicky
- The presentation was too gimmicky for a serious business meeting.
Synonyms and how they differ
- flashy
- Focuses on being showy and expensive-looking, while gimmicky stresses a clever but cheap trick.
- tricksy
- Means full of tricks or deceptive, often used for people or plots, not products.
- novelty
- As an adjective, means new and unusual but often not lasting; gimmicky is more negative.
Opposites
Word family
- gimmick noun
- A trick or device used to attract attention.
- gimmickry noun
- The use of many gimmicks, often disapproving.
Commonly confused: gimmicky or gimmick?
gimmicky vs gimmick
Gimmick is a noun (a trick), while gimmicky is the adjective describing something that uses tricks.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The adjective form is 'gimmicky', used after 'is'. 'Gimmick' is a noun, 'gimmickly' is not a word, and 'gimmickiness' is a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gimmicky”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.