man of straw
Figurehead without power
A man of straw is a person set up as a front or figurehead—someone who appears to hold a position but lacks real authority or substance.
The term also describes a weak opponent, real or invented, easily defeated in argument: He's attacking a man of straw rather than addressing my actual position.
In legal contexts, a man of straw is someone with no assets, making lawsuits against them pointless.
Also called a straw man.
Controlled performing figure
- nominalIn designation only
- proxyAuthorized substitute
- stand-inTemporary human placeholder
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
decoy · scapegoat · stooge · patsy · fall guy · dummy · substitute · pawn
- bonfireLarge outdoor fire
- burningCombustion in progress
- dummyLifelike substitute figure
- figureOutline or numeral
stuffed · ritual · symbolism · puppet · likeness · mockery · wicker · torch
Fraudulent imitation
- pretenseDeceptive outward show
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
- fakeNot the real thing
phony · hoax · subterfuge · deceit · masquerade · fabrication · impostor · con
False or misleading statement
- distortionTwisting from original state
- oversimplificationStripping complexity unfairly
- caricatureExaggerated comic depiction
- deflectionChange in trajectory
rebuttal · counterargument · mischaracterization · weak argument · logical fallacy · red herring · false equivalence · refutation
Weak and easily damaged
- fragileEasily broken or damaged
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
- hollowEmpty within
empty · feeble · ineffectual · powerless · brittle · unstable · precarious · shaky
puppet
Controlled performing figure
facade · decoy · scapegoat · stooge · patsy · fall guy · dummy · substitute · pawn · placeholder
Guy Fawkes
figure · stuffed · ritual · symbolism · puppet · likeness · mockery · wicker · torch · parade
sham
Fraudulent imitation
fake · phony · hoax · subterfuge · deceit · masquerade · fabrication · impostor · con · artifice
misrepresentation
False or misleading statement
- distortionTwisting from original state
- oversimplificationStripping complexity unfairly
- caricatureExaggerated comic depiction
deflection · rebuttal · counterargument · mischaracterization · weak argument · logical fallacy · red herring · false equivalence · refutation · spurious
flimsy
Weak and easily damaged
- fragileEasily broken or damaged
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
hollow · empty · feeble · ineffectual · powerless · brittle · unstable · precarious · shaky · tenuous
man of strawpower behind the throne
Hidden controller of affairs
puppet master · kingmaker · shot-caller · mastermind · power broker
man of strawgenuine article
Authentic original item
the real thing · man of his word · solid citizen · pillar of the community · heavyweight
man of strawrock
Solid earthen material
pillar of strength · force to be reckoned with · tower of strength · stalwart · tough customer
man, straw, manly, manliness, manhood, mankind, manful, unmanned, straws