red herring

noun

1
: a herring cured by salting and slow smoking to a dark brown color
2
[from the practice of drawing a red herring across a trail to confuse hunting dogs] : something that distracts attention from the real issue

Did you know?

Believe it or not, red herring has as much to do with hunting dogs as with brightly colored fish. Here's how: A herring is a soft-finned bony fish. People who like to eat herring have long preserved them by salting and slowly smoking them. That process makes a herring turn red or dark brown - and gives them a very strong smell. Dogs love to sniff such smelly treats, a fact that makes the fish a perfect diversion for anyone trying to distract hunting dogs from the trail of their quarry. The practice of using preserved fish to confuse hunting dogs led to the use of the term red herring for anything that diverts attention from the issue at hand.

Examples of red herring in a Sentence

The argument is a red herring. It actually has nothing to do with the issue. The plot of the mystery was full of red herrings.
Recent Examples on the Web Set in dreary Copenhagen with a cast of characters who all could be suspects, there are red herrings galore. Andrea Duncan-Mao, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2024 An arrest proves inconsequential; a capture proves to be a red herring. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024 Given that Lynch’s contract status is eerily similar to that of McIntyre, perhaps this is all just a red herring to give someone like Liv Morgan or even Bianca Belair the victory and main event match at WrestleMania 40. Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 The same can be said of her pictures, where specificity is a bit of a red herring. Mark Holgate, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2024 But while Grossman’s defense team seized on the plating issue to paint Erickson as a lawbreaker, the lead prosecutor dismissed the revelation as a years-old red herring. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024 Turns out, all of that was officially one giant red herring. Lauren Huff, EW.com, 5 Feb. 2024 Her Easter eggs were, in fact, a red herring all along. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 5 Feb. 2024 The narrative proceeds with the usual red herrings, flurries of action and suspense and unsuspected revelations, some of which are telegraphed long before the moment they’re meant to take us by surprise. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'red herring.' 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

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of red herring was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Red herring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20herring. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

red herring

noun
: something intended to distract attention from the real problem

Legal Definition

red herring

noun
red her·​ring
ˌred-ˈher-iŋ
: a preliminary prospectus (as for the sale of securities) that is not yet approved by the appropriate body (as the Securities and Exchange Commission)
Etymology

red herring something that distracts attention from the main issue, diversion

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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