Potemkin village

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of Potemkin village But his proudest accomplishments amount to little more than a progressive Potemkin village. Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025 Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder portray a married couple who build a Potemkin village of eco-friendly homes and pour-over coffee shops in a struggling New Mexico town. Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 But behind the Potemkin village, the Khmer Rouge regime is declining and the war with Vietnam threatens to invade the country. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2024 Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder portray a married couple who build a Potemkin village of eco-friendly homes and pour-over coffee shops in a struggling New Mexico town. Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 But behind the Potemkin village, the Khmer Rouge regime is declining and the war with Vietnam threatens to invade the country. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2024 The resort reproduces an ancient Apulian town and farmhouse in a project that some locals have likened to a Mediterranean Potemkin village. Emma Bubola, New York Times, 11 June 2024 The fake blood, the cars on rails, the Potemkin villages, not to mention the computer graphics, the herds and armies and tempests that exist only in code. Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024 Is the immaculate beauty of that metro station a Potemkin village glossing over the fear with which many Russians live? Scott Simon, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Potemkin village
Noun
  • This likely is a fig leaf offered to Bezos, who, two sources said, was rather upset that Blue Origin would not meet (or even approach) its original target of eight launches this year.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2025
  • The Reed Diffuser collection consists of six aromas developed alongside master perfumers in Grasse, France: gardenia, wild berry, fig leaf, rose, orange and mimosa.
    Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
  • The vivacity of the art form broke through the screen courtesy of Erivo’s capacity to blast through any barrier with her truthful virtuosity.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • But the second Trump administration has seen DEI efforts south of the border come under attack, with the U.S. entertainment industry putting efforts to diverse screen content on the back burner.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • Clad in tactical gear and wielding riot shields and military-style rifles, federal agents lobbed non-lethal munitions, including rubber bullets, tear gas and flash-bang grenades, to disperse crowds.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 10 June 2025
  • President Donald Trump's new Golden Dome missile defense shield for the U.S., designed to protect against next-generation, long-range weapons, is modeled on the Iron Dome.
    Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • Both overhead fluorescent lighting and natural light can aggravate a migraine episode, so turn off all lights and close any curtains or blinds to block outdoor light.4 Keep the space quiet: Loud and repetitive noises often make migraine episodes worse.
    Sarah Bradley, Health, 10 June 2025
  • The sheriff's office is also asking people who live or own cabins in remote areas of Chelan, Kittitas King, Snohomish and Okanagan counties to lock their doors, leave their window blinds open and outdoor lights on.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 10 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Potemkin village.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Potemkin%20village. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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