bells and whistles
plural noun
: items or features that are useful or decorative but not essential : frills
Examples of bells and whistles in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The bright space is without bells and whistles, but filled with small traditional touches.
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Rhonda Richford, WWD, 21 Oct. 2024
But this isn’t a film in thrall to star power, or indeed any cinematic bells and whistles: A late-summer thunderstorm, briefly menacing but causing no ultimate harm, represents the closest thing to a dramatic peak in screenwriter Robert Jones’s faithfully low-key adaptation.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Oct. 2024
Norse Atlantic’s premium economy has recliner-style seats with ample legroom, but none of the bells and whistles of true business.
—Victoria M. Walker, Travel + Leisure, 12 Oct. 2024
Although the earbuds have plenty of bells and whistles, the biggest feature going for it is the form factor.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bells and whistles 
Rhonda Richford, WWD, 21 Oct. 2024
But this isn’t a film in thrall to star power, or indeed any cinematic bells and whistles: A late-summer thunderstorm, briefly menacing but causing no ultimate harm, represents the closest thing to a dramatic peak in screenwriter Robert Jones’s faithfully low-key adaptation.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Oct. 2024
Norse Atlantic’s premium economy has recliner-style seats with ample legroom, but none of the bells and whistles of true business.
—Victoria M. Walker, Travel + Leisure, 12 Oct. 2024
Although the earbuds have plenty of bells and whistles, the biggest feature going for it is the form factor.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bells and whistles
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bells and whistles.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Bells and whistles.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bells%20and%20whistles. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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