smokescreen noun

Click to hear the UK pronunciation of this word

Click to hear the US pronunciation of this word

/ˈsməʊk.skriːn/

/ˈsmoʊk-/ n [C]

Definition

•

something which hides the truth about someone's intentions

Instead of doing something about the problem, the council is hiding behind a smokescreen of bureaucracy.

•

an artificial cloud of smoke that is used to hide the movements or positions of soldiers from the enemy

(Definition of smokescreen noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

+ Free Dictionary Toolbar for Browsers
+ Add Dictionary Search to iGoogle and your website

+ Become a fan on Facebook
+ Follow us on Twitter!

Browse the Dictionary

smoke signal noun
smoke-filled room noun
smoked adjective
smokeless adjective
smoker noun
smokescreen noun
smokestack noun
smokestack industry noun
smoking noun
smoking gun noun
smoking jacket noun

Our dictionaries

British English
American English
Business English
Learner's Dictionary
Essential British English
Essential American English

English-Spanish
Español-inglés
English-Turkish

Browse the Thesaurus

Business
Clothes
Education
Finance
Light and colour
Personal care

NEW “smokescreen” in other dictionaries

in Spanish

American English
Business English

SMART Thesaurus

Synonyms and related words:

anti-war
bellicose
chemical warfare
concord
conflagration
crusade
germ warfare
gung-ho
militarist
peacekeeping
phoney war
sinews of war
Star wars
the First World War
the Great War
war
war clouds are gathering
warlike
warring
wartime

See more results »

Topic: War

Word of the Day

get in a sweat

to worry

Word of the Day ►

Blog

Read our blog about how the English language behaves.

Learn More ►

New Words

Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.