blew smoke
Fed empty promises
Blew smoke means deceived or misled someone with empty talk or false assurances.
The image is of obscuring vision with smoke—making it hard to see clearly: He blew smoke about his qualifications.
Often appears as blow smoke up someone's ass, suggesting crude flattery or manipulation.
The phrase can also mean exhaled smoke literally: She blew smoke in his face.
- overstateRepresent as greater
- distractDivert someone's attention
- misleadCause false belief
- lead astrayCause to err
- persuadeCause to believe
gaslight · embellish · boast · talk up · manipulate · string along · beguile · obfuscate · convince · sweet talk · sugarcoat · equivocate · spin · fabricate · dissemble · hoodwink · pull the wool · falsify
blew smokesubstantiated
Confirmed with evidence
made good on · walked the talk · meant business · followed through
blew, smoke, blow, blowing, blown, blows, blower, smokes, smoked