smoke screen

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "smoke screen" is correct and is commonly used in written English.
It is used to describe a distracting tactic or way of deceiving people. For example, "The politician used a smoke screen to divert attention away from his scandalous behavior."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

SMOKE screen?

The New York Times - Style

This is a smoke screen".

The New York Times - Sports

It was all a smoke screen, surely.

The New York Times - Arts

It's not only a smoke screen.

Harvard University

"It's a smoke screen," he said.

The New York Times - Sports

"It's a smoke screen," McNeil said.

The Guardian

"It's a smoke screen," Mr. Cassano said.

The New York Times

It is behind a smoke screen of renewable energy".

Independent

But Fuchs's offer turned out to be a smoke screen.

The New York Times - Sports

His critics said Professor Dworkin's approach was a smoke screen.

The New York Times

Where Republicans detect scandal, Democrats see a smoke screen.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In military or technical writing, use it to describe literal clouds of smoke used to hide movements.

Common error

Do not use phrases like "deceptive smoke screen" as the concept of deception is already inherent in the metaphorical use of the term. Using additional adjectives often weakens the impact of the idiom.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "smoke screen" functions primarily as a compound noun. In military contexts, it identifies a physical object or tactical maneuver. In figurative contexts, it acts as a metaphor for anything that obscures the truth. According to Ludwig AI, it is almost exclusively used as a noun phrase to describe a state of concealment.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "smoke screen" is a versatile linguistic tool that bridges the gap between literal military tactics and metaphorical social deception. Ludwig AI analysis shows that while it originated as a way to describe physical smoke used for concealment in battle, its most frequent modern application is in News & Media to critique political or corporate maneuvers. Whether used as a single word or two words, it consistently conveys the idea of an intentional distraction. For writers, it remains a powerful way to call out lack of transparency or deceptive framing in any narrative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

smokescreen

closed compound variant of the same term

red herring

refers specifically to a clue or piece of information that is or is intended to be misleading or distracting

diversion

emphasizes the act of turning attention away from the primary focus

ruse

highlights the cleverness or trickery involved in the deception

pretext

a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason

facade

suggests a false outward appearance intended to hide a less pleasant reality

camouflage

borrowed from the literal concept of blending in to hide the true nature of something

cover story

specifically refers to a false narrative used to hide a secret or illegal activity

blind

a person or thing used to mislead or distract from the truth

shams

a more direct way of saying something is false or a deceptive imitation

FAQs

How do I use "smoke screen" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a distraction, for example: "The company's focus on charity work was merely a "smoke screen" for their environmental violations."

Is it "smoke screen" or "smokescreen"?

Both are correct. "smoke screen" as two words is the traditional form, while the one-word "smokescreen" is increasingly common in modern usage. Both are widely accepted in formal writing.

What is the difference between a "smoke screen" and a "red herring"?

A "smoke screen" is a general cloud of confusion intended to hide something, whereas a "red herring" is a specific false lead designed to draw someone toward a wrong conclusion.

What can I say instead of "smoke screen"?

Depending on the context, you could use "diversion", "pretext", or "facade".