Meaning & use
red herring
Something that misleads or distracts attention away from the real issue or question.
See it in a sentence
The defense attorney dismissed the witness's claim as a red herring meant to confuse the jury.
The mystery novel is full of red herrings that lead readers to suspect the wrong character.
A note on using this word
Red herring is a common idiom in storytelling and argument, describing a deliberate or accidental distraction from what really matters.
Words with a similar meaning
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Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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