razzmatazz
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of razzmatazz
An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; by alteration
Explanation
The noun razzmatazz is a colorful way to talk about activity that's meant to impress or distract people with its showiness. Your brother's magic trick might be truly remarkable, or it may be nothing but a bunch of razzmatazz. The razzmatazz of a politician's television ads can hide the fact that she doesn't really have anything new to say about the issues, and the razzmatazz of a marching band's fancy uniforms might distract from the fact that the instruments are all out of tune. The noun razzmatazz probably came from razzle-dazzle, or "showiness," and it's probably also connected to jazz, both the word and the music itself.
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.
Instead, it has promoted its claim to have resurrected the dire wolf with unsparing razzmatazz.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2025
And with good reason: This is a fantastically outlandish production that delivers a kind of large-scale razzmatazz that has become rare — no skimping here.
From New York Times ● Nov. 27, 2024
That may be partly because of the more challenging economic backdrop, but Starmer, formerly a human rights lawyer, lacks the razzmatazz of his predecessor.
From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2024
As a media mogul inspired by the razzmatazz of American networks, he transformed Italian TV.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2023
Nazario must have made some sort of dizzy razzmatazz nonsense about the donation being an anonymous gift but I’m sure he gave the school enough information to know it was Vera.
From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez
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.
