red herring

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR C1

Post

Example

“The empty error log was a red herring — the real bug was in the config.”

Dictionary details

Component words

red herring

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

red flag Neutral · CEFR B1

a warning sign that something is wrong

red ocean Neutral · CEFR C1

a crowded, hyper-competitive market where rivals fight over existing demand

straw man Neutral · CEFR C1

a weak, exaggerated version of an opponent's argument set up to be easily knocked down

brain power Informal · CEFR B1

intelligence or mental ability used to think and solve problems

let the cat out of the bag Informal · CEFR B1

To reveal a secret, usually by mistake.

pull someone's leg Informal · CEFR B1

To tease or joke with someone by telling them something untrue in fun.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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