Meaning & use
smoke and mirrors
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
Clever tricks or confusing detail used to hide the truth or make something seem more impressive than it is.
Grammar: Uncountable and usually without a: it was all smoke and mirrors.
Patterns
- all smoke and mirrors
- use smoke and mirrors
The budget was nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Behind the glossy launch event, it was all smoke and mirrors.
Critics said the plan relied on smoke and mirrors to hide the costs.
Common combinations
- all smoke and mirrors
- The company's profits were all smoke and mirrors.
- rely on smoke and mirrors
- The campaign relied on smoke and mirrors.
- nothing but smoke and mirrors
- The promise was nothing but smoke and mirrors.
- a clever bit of smoke and mirrors
- It was a clever bit of smoke and mirrors.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sleight of hand
- Sleight of hand emphasizes skilful trickery, while smoke and mirrors stresses a false show that hides weakness.
- window dressing
- Window dressing means making something look better on the surface, and is a little milder.
- deception
- Deception is a plain word for deceit, whereas smoke and mirrors is a vivid idiom.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: smoke and mirrors or smokescreen?
smoke and mirrors vs smokescreen
A smokescreen is something put forward to distract from your real aim, while smoke and mirrors describes a whole misleading presentation.
Practice
A reporter says the new policy is 'smoke and mirrors'. What does she mean?
Choose one answer.
Smoke and mirrors means a deceptive display that hides reality. It is not praise or literal.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “smoke and mirrors”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.