bells and whistles

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

His younger brother, who lives outside Seattle, also can’t stand stop-start, including in his 2022 Outback “with all the fancy bells and whistles and cameras.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

There are no ads, paywalls, dark patterns, or bells and whistles at all.

From Slate • Dec. 14, 2025

But in a digital age of flashier bells and whistles, why are comics appealing to them?

From BBC • Dec. 13, 2025

“That kick drum hit me, and I was like, ‘Ah man, I don’t need an 808 and all the bells and whistles — I just need old-school guitars, bass and drums.’

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025

A chorus of exclamation points says two things about your writing: First, you’re not confident that what you’re saying is important, so you need bells and whistles to get attention.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner