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Glite Dictionary
🎭 A false cover 💨 A cover of smoke
smoke screen

smoke screen

5 5.1
An action or statement used to hide the real reason and distract people
  • noun
  • /ˈsmoʊk ˌskrin/
translation icon : cortina de humo
  • Her explanation was just a smoke screen to divert attention from the real problem.

Examples

  • For too long, the behavior of these clerics has been a smoke-screen used to create a diversion from the real issues facing this nation.

    Blog text (1)

  • I fear this is another smoke screen from the Hillary camp.

    Blog text (5)

  • Only love is real; all else is a smoke screen of fear.

    Blog text (31)

  • We all know that is a smoke screen.

    Blog text (3)

  • It's all a smoke screen.

    Blog text (23)

  • Unless there is something more involved, that business about increasing the age of retirement is a smoke screen.

    Blog text (19)

  • In my experience, they pretend to give it but it's generally a smoke screen for demanding it back with interest.

    Barton Fink (1991)

  • In politics, smoke screens are something said or done in order to hide the truth.

    Blog text (33)

  • That's just a smoke screen for theft.

    Academic text (1998)

  • There are a good number of hardworking Black folks who saw through the Obama smoke screen.

    Blog text (1)

Synonyms

mask
vssmoke screen
129 5.9

A way of acting that hides how a person really feels

focuses on concealing motives or plans rather than personal appearance
red herring
vssmoke screen
  • Informal
23 6.7

A clue that leads people away from the real issue

is broader concealment than a single misleading clue
smoke and mirrors
vssmoke screen
  • Informal
19 7.4

Actions that hide the truth by making things look better

is about hiding real purpose rather than theatrical distraction
smokescreen
vssmoke screen
9 7.1

An action or statement that hides the real reason behind something

has identical meaning but written as two separate words
screening
vssmoke screen
1 3.5

Plants or structures that block the view to give privacy

aims to hide reasons or intent rather than physical blocking
smokescreen of success
vssmoke screen
8.5

An appearance of success that hides real problems

focuses on hiding purpose or truth broadly rather than showing false success

Antonyms

clarity
152 3.0

How easy it is to understand what someone says or writes

How Concealing

cover-up
  • Literature
137 5.5
smoke screen
5 5.1
red herring
  • Informal
23 6.7
diversion
13 5.2

Surface Forms

smoke screen singular
smoke screens plural

Morphology

smoke + screen

The constituents 'smoke' (which obscures) and 'screen' (to hide or shield) combine in a straightforward metaphor: something that hides or obscures the truth. This figurative extension is predictable and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would very likely infer the meaning.

Etymology

Smoke screen comes from the idea of using a cloud of smoke as a screen to hide what is really happening, so people use the term for actions or words that cover up the truth. That's why it now means 'something used to hide the truth' or to distract people.