bells and whistles

plural noun

: items or features that are useful or decorative but not essential : frills

Examples of bells and whistles in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for $296 ($24 off) Amazon Our upgrade pick for gaming headsets, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has an impressive list of bells and whistles. Eric Ravenscraft, WIRED, 2 Mar. 2024 But Lenovo actually pulled it off with a legitimate PC featuring most of the bells and whistles found among traditional premium laptops. Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 22 Dec. 2023 KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer KitchenAid Pro Line and Professional Series stand mixers KitchenAid Professional Series mixers have all the bells and whistles. Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 27 Nov. 2023 In vehicles without all these bells and whistles, the fatality risk for women is higher than for men. Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 The bells and whistles actually can double as everyday fun. Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Feb. 2024 Packages start at $99.95 a month and go up to $199.95 for all the bells and whistles. Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 18 Jan. 2024 For a no-nonsense, mid-priced opener that does the job without lots of moving parts or bells and whistles, this is the best corkscrew wine opener. Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2024 Iron Rest & Other Features Ironing boards may be equipped with any assortment of bells and whistles, so when shopping for an ironing board, be sure to look for those that appeal to you. Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bells and whistles.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bells and whistles was in 1968

Dictionary Entries Near bells and whistles

Cite this Entry

“Bells and whistles.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bells%20and%20whistles. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bells and whistles

noun plural
: items or features that are useful or decorative but not necessary
a new car with lots of bells and whistles

More from Merriam-Webster on bells and whistles

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