1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
that free dinner is just a sales gimmick to get you to listen to their sales pitch
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2
as in gadget
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use
a car equipped with a parking spot locator and other neat gimmicks
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3
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the deal sounds too good to be true, so make sure there aren't any gimmicks
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gimmick
Last year’s inaugural boxing match with MVP was headlines by Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson, a gimmick that delivered what Netflix said was 108 million viewers.
—
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025
One large wild card, however, is when — and how — the Senate parliamentarian rules on whether Republicans can use the current policy baseline, the budgetary gimmick that leaders are hoping to utilize to make the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent.
—Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2025
The very premise of the production is a gimmick, a way to let an actor show off and dazzle the audience with some tricks.
—Christian Lewis, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Having a positive impact on society is not a quick gimmick for charity days or to look good in a press release; working in this way can also drive financial performance and keep your workforce happy in the long term.
—David Morel, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025
One large wild card, however, is when — and how — the Senate parliamentarian rules on whether Republicans can use the current policy baseline, the budgetary gimmick that leaders are hoping to utilize to make the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent.
—Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2025
The very premise of the production is a gimmick, a way to let an actor show off and dazzle the audience with some tricks.
—Christian Lewis, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Having a positive impact on society is not a quick gimmick for charity days or to look good in a press release; working in this way can also drive financial performance and keep your workforce happy in the long term.
—David Morel, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gimmick
Noun
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Frank This character doing all the heavy lifting to keep Rick’s ruse afloat and Sam Rockwell doing all the heavy lifting to keep this plot interesting: Thank you for your service, gentlemen.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2025
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This is, of course, a ruse to put Rick in the same room with Jim, who, according to his mother on her deathbed, killed his do-gooder dad.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign goods – specifically those sourced from China – are expected to heighten the prices of everyday tech products, from iPhones to laptops, cars and even smaller gadgets like headphones and computer mice.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
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Other pricey items included designer clothes and tech gadgets.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The night’s crossing of the Athina went off without a hitch, and Captain Hallax arrived home the next morning.—
Silvana Paternostro Nathalia Angarita,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Despite these concerns, the plan went off without a hitch.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Detectives arrested a man accused in a lottery ticket stealing scheme that netted him and a partner thousands of dollars in winnings, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2025
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His chief adviser was also charged in state court with taking part in a separate bribery scheme.—
Jan Ransom,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Features include integrated evaluation tools, memory capabilities for context retention and robust tracing for debugging.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Shop on Amazon and get this set of gardening gloves and small tools in a fashionable carrying bag.—
Jené Luciani Sena,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The country could be at risk of losing its elimination status if an outbreak continued for more than one year.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Key challenges, like the risk of exacerbating inequality if access is limited to the rich and the significant energy demands, will need to be addressed.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Special content, tips, and tricks: Free digital access to the vast recipe archives of Bon Appétit and Epicurious, plus an in-depth video filmed in the test kitchen of one recipe from each box.—
The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
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But back to the task at hand: One trick to schooling yourself while keeping things fun is taking a tour — or a few of them.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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To avoid these pitfalls, companies need to treat office redesign as a change management project—not just a facilities project.—
Ryan Anderson,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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The pandemic exposed the pitfalls of American reliance on Chinese factories for an array of goods, from parts for ventilators to basic medicines.—
Peter S. Goodman,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gimmick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gimmick. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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