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smokescreen

smokescreen

9 7.1
An action or statement that hides the real reason behind something
  • noun
  • /ˈsmoʊkˌskrin/
translation icon : cortina de humo
  • The politician's promises turned out to be a smokescreen to distract voters from his failures.
  • smokescreen hiding

All of this shit is just a smokescreen on their part.

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Examples

  • Bisser may well be using this as a smokescreen, but I'm not.

    Blog text (13)
  • And unlike you guys, she took her religion seriously, rather than as a smokescreen to hide behind.

    Blog text (5)
  • So it's not that stories are a smokescreen to hide the real interests.

  • Maybe the whole thing's a smokescreen.

  • In reality, it is a total smokescreen meant for nothing but appearance.

    Blog text (23)
  • But this virus was really the smokescreen, right?

    Fiction book (1995)
  • I'm saying the real crisis, it's a smokescreen for the real crisis going on right now.

  • But I'm arguing today that this is in fact a smokescreen for what we're really talking about.

  • The robbery there was nothing more than a smokescreen to cover a thorough search.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The assumption that it is all a smokescreen is nearly impossible to counteract.

    Blog text (7)

Synonyms

to lie
vssmokescreen
1.3

To say something that is not true to trick someone

works by distracting or obscuring rather than making specific untrue claims
deception
vssmokescreen
163 3.9

An action that makes someone believe something not true

is a focused tactic using statements or actions to obscure motives
cover-up
vssmokescreen
  • Literature
137 5.5

An attempt to hide a crime or scandal from the public

hides truth by distraction rather than by suppressing information
mask
vssmokescreen
129 5.9

A way of acting that hides how a person really feels

is more about misleading others with statements or actions targeting motives
charade
vssmokescreen
76 7.4

A false show that hides what is really happening

is subtler, aiming to obscure intentions rather than stage an obvious show
pretense
vssmokescreen
  • US
65 6.1

A false claim or action to hide the truth

focuses on hiding motives or truth with one action or statement
ruse
vssmokescreen
53 7.7

A clever trick to deceive someone

can be any obscuring action, not only planned clever schemes
pretext
vssmokescreen
42 6.7

A false reason people give to hide what they really want

is broader, including actions or statements beyond giving false reasons
trickery
vssmokescreen
27 4.9

To use dishonest ways to cheat people

uses similar dishonesty but especially as a single obscuring move
red herring
vssmokescreen
  • Informal
23 6.7

A clue that leads people away from the real issue

aims to obscure motive itself rather than just distract with false leads
smoke and mirrors
vssmokescreen
  • Informal
19 7.4

Actions that hide the truth by making things look better

focuses on a single act or statement that hides true intent
subterfuge
vssmokescreen
19 9.5

A trick or excuse to hide the real reason

is more about a single hiding action or statement than long plans
artifice
vssmokescreen
  • Formal
11 8.1

A clever trick that deceives people or hides the truth

is broader, applying to any act that obscures intent rather than cleverness
masquerade
vssmokescreen
8 6.8

A false appearance that hides someone's true feelings or plans

is often a single obscuring action rather than an ongoing disguise
concealment
vssmokescreen
8 5.0

Keeping something hidden or secret

is specifically about statements or actions meant to obscure intentions
smoke screen
vssmokescreen
5 5.1

An action or statement used to hide the real reason and distract people

is the same idea but expressed as one word alternative
whitewash
vssmokescreen
4 6.8

An attempt to hide bad facts to make something seem better

often uses a single confusing act instead of polishing or covering facts
prevarication
vssmokescreen
  • Formal
3 9.9

To avoid telling the truth by being vague or misleading

uses a concrete hiding act rather than mainly vague speech to obscure
bald-faced lie
vssmokescreen
  • Informal
3 5.4

An obvious statement that is not true and said without shame

is usually subtler, aiming to conceal rather than state bold falsehoods
flam
vssmokescreen
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A trick done to cheat or fool people

usually targets hiding intent specifically rather than general cheating
flimflam
vssmokescreen
  • Archaic
1 9.6

Talk that tries to trick people with false statements

uses actions or statements to hide motives, not just talk that confuses
economical with the truth
vssmokescreen
  • Literature
1 8.6

Not telling the whole truth to hide facts or avoid blame

is an active public distraction rather than private omission of facts
smokescreen of success
vssmokescreen
8.5

An appearance of success that hides real problems

is a general hiding act not limited to false success displays
jiggery-pokery
vssmokescreen
  • Archaic
9.9

Dishonest actions that try to trick people

is a specific tactic that hides motives, not broad corrupt behaviour

Antonyms

1.0

A fact that shows how things really are

152 3.0

How easy it is to understand what someone says or writes

Compounds

An appearance of success that hides real problems

How Concealing

cover-up
  • Literature
137 5.5
deception
163 3.9
smokescreen
9 7.1
distraction
234 2.9

Surface Forms

smokescreen singular
smokescreens plural

Morphology

smokescreen = smoke + screen (semi-transparent) = smoke + screen

The sense is a figurative extension of the literal compound: it uses 'smoke' + 'screen' metaphorically to mean something that conceals intentions.

Etymology

The word smokescreen is also used as a metaphor. Like a 'screen' of 'smoke' that hides soldiers, a smokescreen hides the truth or someone's real plans.