red herring

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.

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

"That's a red herring," said Mark Watkins, a volunteer on the Isle of Wight for the past 17 years.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025

Or do you suppose this is a red herring and that the abandonment of the gold standard is at the root of the matter?'

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro