a red herring
Say it: a red HEH-ring /ə ˌrɛd ˈhɛrɪŋ/ · idiom
What “a red herring” means
Something that distracts you from the real issue.
More precisely: Something that misleads or distracts from the real issue.
Example: “The missing laptop was a red herring; the leak came from a shared password.”
When to use it
In discussions or mysteries, when a tempting clue or argument draws attention away from what actually matters.
Similar words
distraction, false lead, decoy
Where it comes from
Popularised by William Cobbett's 1807 tale of using a smoked herring to mislead hounds.
Quick check
You blame a rattling window for the draught, but discover cold air comes through a hole in the roof. The window was…
a red herring or a smoking gun?
Show the answer
a red herring
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