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razzle-dazzle

American  
[raz-uhl-daz-uhl] / ˈræz əlˈdæz əl /

noun

Informal.

  1. showiness, brilliance, or virtuosity in technique or effect, often without concomitant substance or worth; flashy theatricality.

    The razzle-dazzle of the essay's metaphors cannot disguise its shallowness of thought.

  2. Chiefly Football. deceptive action typically consisting of a series of complex maneuvers, as a double reverse or hand-off, usually executed in a flashy manner.

    a team relying more on power and speed than razzle-dazzle.

  3. confusion, commotion, or riotous gaiety.

    He thrived on the lights, the crowds, the razzle-dazzle of the Las Vegas Strip at night.

adjective

  1. impressively opulent or decorative, especially in a new way; showy; flashy; eye-catching.

    a shopping center lined with razzle-dazzle boutiques.

  2. energetic, dynamic, or innovative.

    razzle-dazzle technology; a razzle-dazzle sales pitch.
razzle-dazzle British  
/ ˈræzəlˈdæzəl, ˈræzməˈtæz /

noun

  1. slang noisy or showy fuss or activity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of razzle-dazzle

First recorded in 1890–95; rhyming compound based on dazzle

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.

Razzle dazzle, never frazzle, not a thread but wool!

From Owen Clancy's Happy Trail or, The Motor Wizard in California by Standish, Burt L.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.