red herring

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablefigurative

   A clue, fact, or argument that seems important but pulls attention away from what really matters.

   Grammar: Countable: a red herring, several red herrings. Often used with be or as.

   Patterns

   • be a red herring
   • use something as a red herring

   The muddy boots turned out to be a red herring, and the detective had to start again.

   Critics said the minister's talk about tourism was a red herring meant to distract from job losses.

   In the mystery novel, the gardener is a red herring.

2. 2nouncountableold-fashioned

   A strong-smelling smoked fish, especially one that is reddish brown.

   Grammar: The literal sense is rare today; the idiom is much more common.

   The old tale says hunters dragged a red herring across the trail to train their dogs.

   A red herring hung in the smokehouse.

   He bought a red herring from the market stall.

Word forms

Common combinations

turn out to be a red herring

The first suspect turned out to be a red herring.

dismiss as a red herring

The lawyer dismissed the claim as a red herring.

a classic red herring

The locked door was a classic red herring.

follow a red herring

The police followed a red herring for weeks.

drop a red herring

The author dropped a red herring in chapter two.

Synonyms and how they differ

diversion

A diversion pulls attention away but may be neutral or harmless, whereas a red herring misleads people about what matters.

distraction

Distraction is broader and can be accidental, while a red herring is often specifically misleading.

false lead

A false lead is especially used for clues in an investigation, but red herring extends to arguments.

Opposites

Word family

herring noun

a silvery sea fish eaten fresh or preserved

red adjective

the color part of the idiom

Commonly confused: red herring or wild goose chase?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “red herring”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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