red herring: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal to informal, but most common in analytical, critical, or narrative contexts.
Quick answer
What does “red herring” mean?
A dried, smoked herring that is reddish-brown in colour.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A dried, smoked herring that is reddish-brown in colour.
Something that misleads or distracts from a relevant or important issue; a false clue or diversion.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The idiom is equally common and understood in both varieties.
Connotations
Consistently negative, implying wasted effort or deliberate obfuscation.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK English in journalistic and political commentary, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “red herring” in a Sentence
[Subject] is/was/proved to be a red herring.They dismissed [object] as a red herring.The argument about cost is a red herring.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “red herring” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The MP was accused of trying to red-herring the committee with tangential details.
American English
- The lawyer's objection seemed designed to red-herring the jury.
adjective
British English
- He made a red-herring argument about procedure to delay the vote.
American English
- The report contained several red-herring statistics.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to describe misleading data or proposals that distract from core financial problems.
Academic
Used in logic, rhetoric, and literary analysis to identify fallacious arguments or plot distractions.
Everyday
Used to call out an irrelevant point in a discussion or a misleading news story.
Technical
In computing/security, can describe a false flag or honeypot designed to distract attackers.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “red herring”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “red herring”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “red herring”
- Confusing it with 'herringbone' (a pattern).
- Using it to mean simply 'a mistake' rather than a 'misleading diversion'.
- Misspelling as 'red hearing'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It originates from the practice of using strong-smelling, smoked herrings to train hunting dogs to follow a scent or to distract them from the correct trail during hunts.
No, it is almost exclusively negative or neutral, describing something that leads one away from the truth or the important matter.
It is acceptable in both formal and informal contexts. It is common in academic writing about logic (as a fallacy) and in journalism.
A 'red herring' is the misleading clue or object itself. A 'wild goose chase' is the futile pursuit or search that results from following a red herring.
A dried, smoked herring that is reddish-brown in colour.
Red herring: in British English it is pronounced /ˌred ˈher.ɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌred ˈher.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “draw a red herring across the track/path”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a detective (RED with anger) chasing a smelly HERRING fish instead of the real criminal. The fish distracts him from the truth.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARGUMENT/INVESTIGATION IS A HUNT. A false clue is a strong-smelling fish dragged across the trail to mislead the hounds.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'red herring' used correctly?