misdirection
Attention drawn elsewhere
Misdirection is the act of drawing attention away from what matters—toward something irrelevant or misleading.
Magicians use misdirection to conceal their methods: While you watch his right hand, his left does the trick.
The word also describes giving wrong directions or guidance: The witness's misdirection sent police to the wrong address.
More broadly, any deliberate diversion of focus: The scandal was misdirection from the real policy failures.
Thing diverting one's attention
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- red herringIntentional misleading distraction
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
- decoyFalse target for misdirection
feint · diversion · evasion · detour · sidetrack · ploy · ruse · blind
Deceptive mock attack
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- schemeCalculated strategy, often secretive
- tacticsMethods to achieve goals
bluff · counterintelligence · disinformation · misinformation · psyops · propaganda · decoying · flanking
Skillful manual deception
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
- legerdemainSkillful hand-based deception
magician · illusionist · card trick · palming · vanish · cups and balls · coin trick · force
Deliberate misleading of others
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
sham · con · swindle · dupery · guile · subterfuge · chicanery · duplicity
Concealment through visual blending
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
- espionageCovert intelligence gathering
- covertIntentionally concealed
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
clandestine · surreptitious · incognito · cover · mask · cloak · concealment · undercover
Something blocking the way
- perjuryCriminal courtroom dishonesty
- tamperingImproper interference with something
- false testimonyLying while legally sworn
- witness intimidationThreatening courtroom testifiers
evidence suppression · alibi · cover-up · conspiracy · collusion · suborning
distraction
Thing diverting one's attention
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- red herringIntentional misleading distraction
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
decoy · feint · diversion · evasion · detour · sidetrack · ploy · ruse · blind · curveball
feint
Deceptive mock attack
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- schemeCalculated strategy, often secretive
tactics · bluff · counterintelligence · disinformation · misinformation · psyops · propaganda · decoying · flanking · ambush
sleight of hand
Skillful manual deception
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
legerdemain · magician · illusionist · card trick · palming · vanish · cups and balls · coin trick · force · switch
deceit
Deliberate misleading of others
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
scam · sham · con · swindle · dupery · guile · subterfuge · chicanery · duplicity · artifice
camouflage
Concealment through visual blending
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
- espionageCovert intelligence gathering
- covertIntentionally concealed
infiltration · clandestine · surreptitious · incognito · cover · mask · cloak · concealment · undercover · double agent
obstruction
Something blocking the way
- perjuryCriminal courtroom dishonesty
- tamperingImproper interference with something
- false testimonyLying while legally sworn
witness intimidation · evidence suppression · alibi · cover-up · conspiracy · collusion · suborning
- Absurd Humorsurreal humor, non sequitur, random humor, dream logic, incongruity
- espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying
- mysteryclue, detective, suspect, clues, sleuth
- avoidance tacticsdodge, evasion, deflection, runaround, non-answer
- comedy termsjokes, puns, wit, sarcasm, irony
- comedy writingjoke, jokes, comedy, satire, parody
misdirectionnavigation
Determining position and course
guidance · direction · orientation · course correction · redirection
misdirectionhonesty
Truthfulness, sincerity
candor · forthrightness · transparency · straight talk · directness
misdirectionfocus
Concentrated attention point
highlighting · illumination · spotlighting · drawing attention · revelation