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dog and pony show
noun
: an often elaborate public relations or sales presentation
also
: an elaborate or overblown affair or event
Examples of dog and pony show in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet, in the view of some, this is a dog and pony show, and Sundance just really wants to get the state of Utah to put up more money for the festival to stay.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 June 2024
Hollywood is literally singing for its supper, and ad tiers have found their way into every major streamer — two of them, Amazon and Netflix, participating in this dog and pony show for the very first time.
—Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024
Still, not prospect is invited to Vegas along with hockey’s elite for the NHL’s dog and pony show.
—Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 14 Sep. 2023
This dog and pony show three months later is a cynical move, implying that those who make such decisions don’t believe Alabama or Auburn fans will show up for a basketball game if there’s no football connection.
—Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, 13 Feb. 2020
That meant the company bypassed the dog and pony show that comes with more typical IPOs, in which companies reveal extensive financial information and work with a major bank to go public.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 17 Jan. 2020
This Scottish island group is a real dog and pony show.
—Ken Jennings, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2018
What then transpired might have been one of the biggest dog and pony shows that amounted to nothing.
—Stephen A. Crockett Jr., The Root, 22 June 2018
The annual dog and pony show that is the TV upfronts kicks off on Monday, but among the ticker tape cannons and smoke machines, this year’s bonanza also looks set to be shrouded in a cloud of confusion.
—Lara O’Reilly, WSJ, 10 May 2018
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Word History
First Known Use
1949, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of dog and pony show was
in 1949
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Dictionary Entries Near dog and pony show
Cite this Entry
“Dog and pony show.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dog%20and%20pony%20show. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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