dog and pony show

The phrase "dog and pony show" originated from small traveling circuses and is now commonly used to describe superficial presentations.

πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ US Voice:
πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ UK Voice:

Definition

C1General

(informal, derogatory)An elaborate presentation or event intended to impress but lacking real substance.

Example

  • The meeting was just a dog and pony show with no real decisions made.
  • Politicians often put on a dog and pony show to gain public support.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "dog and pony show":

dog showshit showfor showone-trick ponydumb showthree-ring circuswag the dog