window dressing

noun

1. the art, act, or technique of trimming the display windows of a store.
2. misrepresentation of something, so as to give a favorable impression:

   The company's list of assets included a great deal of window dressing.

window-dressing

noun

1. the ornamentation of shop windows, designed to attract customers
2. the pleasant, showy, or false aspect of an idea, policy, etc, which is stressed to conceal the real or unpleasant nature; façade

Word History and Origins

Origin of window dressing¹

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

That 1-percenter healthy living also comes with its fair share of window dressing.

From Los Angeles Times

Those measures, Knox said, are “nonsense” and “window dressing” that “just underscore that there’s a public health risk.”

From Los Angeles Times

But some campaigners for cleaner waters have criticised the new legislation, with one telling BBC News it amounted only to “window dressing”.

From BBC

That one-percenter healthy living also comes with its fair share of window dressing.

From Los Angeles Times

“The BRE is currently a window dressing, and that cannot be the correct interpretation of the law,” Adams said.

From Seattle Times