red herring

[red her-ing] / ˈrɛd ˈhɛr ɪŋ /

NOUN

misleading clue

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ploy smokescreen

WEAK

attention-grabber bait commotion curve ball deviation distraction distractor disturbance diversion diversionary tactic false clue false face false trail fool's errand gimmick interruption maneuver wild-goose chase

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.

“The childish scribbling handwriting is also a red herring for some of the more serious and sinister themes in the book, “ says Cash.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

But in the case of Iran, the whole exercise is a bit of a red herring.

From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026

Just recall, though, that “This time is different” is a notorious red herring.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

This subsidy thing is, again, a red herring.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

Since Francis had assured me that they were a red herring, I decided to risk a full explosion.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

red herring

Example Sentences

Related Words