razzle-dazzle

[ raz-uhl-daz-uhl ]

/ ˈræz əlˈdæz əl /

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See synonyms for: razzle-dazzle / razzle-dazzles on Thesaurus.com

noun Informal.

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.

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.

confusion, commotion, or riotous gaiety: He thrived on the lights, the crowds, the razzle-dazzle of the Las Vegas Strip at night.

adjective

impressively opulent or decorative, especially in a new way; showy; flashy; eye-catching: a shopping center lined with razzle-dazzle boutiques.

energetic, dynamic, or innovative: razzle-dazzle technology; a razzle-dazzle sales pitch.

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Origin of razzle-dazzle

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

Words nearby razzle-dazzle

razz, razzberry, razzia, Razzie, razzle, razzle-dazzle, razzmatazz, Rb, R-banding stain, RBBB, RBC

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use razzle-dazzle in a sentence

But he did speak to the issue of the razzle-dazzle camera moves, at least indirectly.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That kind of behavior would be in keeping with somebody who had been slipped a date rape drug such as Midazolam, aka Dazzle.
Alleged U.Va. Abductor Accused of Rape at Christian College|Michael Daly|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Movies are meant to dazzle, and American Hustle does just that.
‘American Hustle’ Is Overrated|Kevin Fallon|January 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was a kinetic energy, a vibrancy that leapt off the screen that did, indeed, dazzle.
‘American Hustle’ Is Overrated|Kevin Fallon|January 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But it was too late, as critics and audiences had already written it off once the show failed to dazzle them from the outset.
‘Sound of Music’ Star Laura Benanti Is About to Be One of Your Favorite Things|Kevin Fallon|December 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He supposed they had scoured all Jursa for a real beauty to dazzle him; but they would discover that it would not work.
The Envoy, Her|Horace Brown Fyfe
But to do this I must dazzle him into giving me a great pleasure.
The Hermit Of ------ Street|Anna Katharine Green (Mrs. Charles Rohlfs)
There lay his wife in all the finery she had arrayed herself to dazzle her fashionable acquaintances, a speechless corpse!
The Mysteries of Montreal|Charlotte Fuhrer
It did not dazzle me, however; it simply filled me, and gave me a sensation of peculiar buoyancy.
Unveiling a Parallel|Alice Ilgenfritz Jones and Ella Marchant
His prey would be driven out of its hiding-place by smoke, or the torch would dazzle it.
The Myths of the North American Indians|Lewis Spence

British Dictionary definitions for razzle-dazzle

razzle-dazzle

razzmatazz (ˈræzməˈtæz)

/ (ˈræzəlˈdæzəl) /

noun

slang noisy or showy fuss or activity

Word Origin for razzle-dazzle

C19: rhyming compound based on dazzle

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

razzle-dazzle

Origin of razzle-dazzle

Words nearby razzle-dazzle

Words related to razzle-dazzle

How to use razzle-dazzle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for razzle-dazzle

razzmatazz (ˈræzməˈtæz)

Word Origin for razzle-dazzle