razzmatazz

American  

[raz-muh-taz] / ˈræz məˈtæz /

noun

Informal.

1. razzle-dazzle.

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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

She starred in children's show Razzmatazz, the 1993 film Riders and was a model for cosmetic brand Max Factor.

From BBC • Nov. 21, 2023

Like A Friend, a rarity from the soundtrack to 1998's Great Expectations, feels like a particularly odd choice for a festival set, especially when they omit the fan favourite Razzmatazz.

From BBC • Jul. 21, 2023

The pair had recently made out after a night out at the hip club Razzmatazz, and Joel was feeling bold enough to share a favorite novel by Nikolai Gogol.

From Salon • Jul. 4, 2023

Murrieta got the nickname, "Razzmatazz", as a result of driving a car resembling the Crayola crayon of the same name, according to authorities.

From Fox News • Mar. 28, 2022

Related: Jarvis Cocker meets Iggy Pop: 'The more money a band has, the worse their records get' 3 Razzmatazz Ah, schadenfreude.

From The Guardian • Jun. 24, 2015