razzle-dazzle

[ raz-uhl-daz-uhl ]

noun

, Informal.

1. showiness, brilliance, or virtuosity in technique or effect, often without concomitant substance or worth; flashy theatricality:

   The razzle-dazzle of the essay's metaphors cannot disguise its shallowness of thought.

2. Chiefly Football. deceptive action typically consisting of a series of complex maneuvers, as a double reverse or hand-off, usually executed in a flashy manner:

   a team relying more on power and speed than razzle-dazzle.

3. confusion, commotion, or riotous gaiety:

   He thrived on the lights, the crowds, the razzle-dazzle of the Las Vegas Strip at night.

adjective

1. impressively opulent or decorative, especially in a new way; showy; flashy; eye-catching:

   a shopping center lined with razzle-dazzle boutiques.

2. energetic, dynamic, or innovative:

   razzle-dazzle technology; a razzle-dazzle sales pitch.

razzle-dazzle

/ ˈræzəlˈdæzəl; ˈræzməˈtæz /

noun

1. slang.
   noisy or showy fuss or activity

Word History and Origins

Origin of razzle-dazzle¹

First recorded in 1890–95; rhyming compound based on dazzle

Word History and Origins

Origin of razzle-dazzle¹

C19: rhyming compound based on dazzle

Example Sentences

Coppola has an eye for Vegas’ seedy glamour, particularly in the frenetic sequences depicting the showgirls backstage during costume changes, where we see the panic that fuels the razzle-dazzle.

From Los Angeles Times

“I think it is a mistake to think about it as proximity to razzle-dazzle,” said Roth.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet those factors both feel secondary to the old-fashioned razzle-dazzle Roan dispenses onstage: the eye rolls, the kiss-blowing, the finger guns, the hair-whipping.

From Los Angeles Times

Film has been dancing around fashion for decades, ever since Kay Thompson declared “Think pink!” in “Funny Face” in 1957, drawn to the subject because of the razzle-dazzle it seems to promise.

From New York Times

Even at a challenging time for a pandemic-weakened industry, they found razzle-dazzle.

From New York Times

Related Words

• amazing
• astonishing
• astounding
• breathtaking
• daring
• dazzling
• dramatic
• eye-catching
• fabulous
• fantastic
• grand
• magnificent
• marvelous
• miraculous
• remarkable
• sensational
• splendid
• striking
• stunning
• thrilling