1
a
: a mechanical device for secretly and dishonestly controlling gambling apparatus
b
: an ingenious or novel mechanical device : gadget
2
a
: an important element (such as a requirement or condition) that is not immediately apparent : catch
The person on the other end of the phone said, "Doesn't that sound good?" I replied, "Yes, it does, but what's the gimmick?"—
Gwen Johnson
Gwen Johnson
b
: an ingenious and usually new scheme or angle
Even in professional careers, mere competence and craftsmanship is no substitute for a gimmick.—James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik
c
: a trick or device used to attract business or attention
a marketing gimmick
gimmicked; gimmicking; gimmicks
Examples of gimmick in a Sentence
Noun
The proposal to cut taxes was just an election gimmick to win votes.
that free dinner is just a sales gimmick to get you to listen to their sales pitch
Recent Examples on the Web
Ben Coxworth
july 03,
New Atlas,
3 July 2026
Is serving red, white and blue food for the Fourth of July a gimmick?
—
Kate Williams,
AJC.com,
29 June 2026
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
California needs steady revenue, not gimmicks that trade short-term applause for long-term problems.
—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
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Noun
There are a lot of titanium devices on Kickstarter, and honestly … many of those gadgets just use the strong yet lightweight metal as a marketing gimmick.
—
Ben Coxworth
july 03,
New Atlas,
3 July 2026
Is serving red, white and blue food for the Fourth of July a gimmick?
—
Kate Williams,
AJC.com,
29 June 2026
Verb
None of these gameplay gimmicks land unless the story and the heart are there too.
—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
California needs steady revenue, not gimmicks that trade short-term applause for long-term problems.
—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gimmick
Cite this Entry
“Gimmick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gimmick. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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