red herring

9 synonyms for red herring, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — Something introduced into an argument, investigation or story that draws attention away from the real issue, whether by accident or on purpose.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

distraction diversion

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

decoy smokescreen false trail irrelevant conclusion ignoratio elenchi kipper bloater

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

Something introduced into an argument, investigation or story that draws attention away from the real issue, whether by accident or on purpose.

“The missing key turned out to be a red herring; the door was never locked.”

distraction diversion decoy smokescreen false trail

2. noun technical

In logic and debate, a fallacy in which an irrelevant point is raised to divert an argument from the question being addressed.

“Answering a question about safety by praising the workforce is a textbook red herring.”

irrelevant conclusion ignoratio elenchi

3. noun archaic

A herring cured by smoking and salting until it turns reddish-brown.

“Barrels of red herring were shipped inland through the winter.”

kipper bloater

How to use red herring

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

a complete red herring turn out to be a red herring plant a red herring that's a red herring

Neutral; common in journalism, fiction criticism and debate.

Etymology

From the strong-smelling cured fish of the third sense. The often-repeated story that such fish were dragged across trails to train or mislead hounds is disputed, and the exact route to the figurative meaning is not settled.

Full origin of red herring →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a red herring and a red flag?

A red herring pulls your attention away from the truth; a red flag points you towards a problem. One is a distraction, the other a warning, and only the similar colour connects them.

What is a red herring in a mystery novel?

It is a clue or suspect the author plants to make the reader suspect the wrong person. Good red herrings are fairly presented and fully explained by the ending, rather than simply withdrawn.

Is a red herring the same as a straw man?

No. A red herring changes the subject to something irrelevant. A straw man stays on the subject but misrepresents the opponent's position so it can be knocked down more easily.

People also searched

distraction diversion kipper decoy smokescreen bloater

Nearby words

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