red herring
Deliberate wild goose
A red herring is something that distracts from the main issue or misleads pursuers of the truth.
The term comes from the practice of dragging a smoked fish across a trail to throw hunting dogs off the scent.
In mysteries and thrillers, a red herring is a false clue planted to misdirect readers: The butler was a red herring—the real killer was the widow.
In arguments, it's an irrelevant point raised to derail discussion.
False target for misdirection
- diversionRedirection of attention
- distractionThing diverting one's attention
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
- false leadMisleading clue or trail
wild goose chase · deflection · feint · ruse · ploy · gambit · bait · lure
Crime fiction identifying perpetrator
- detectiveProfessional crime investigator
- clueSolving aid
- suspectBelieve to be likely
- plot twistSudden narrative redirection
MacGuffin · suspense · thriller · noir · sleuth · investigation · Agatha Christie · puzzle
Error in reasoning
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- trickDeliberate deception
subterfuge · manipulation · pretense · sham · bluff · duplicity · chicanery · fraud
decoy
False target for misdirection
- diversionRedirection of attention
- distractionThing diverting one's attention
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
false lead · wild goose chase · deflection · feint · ruse · ploy · gambit · bait · lure · tangent
whodunit
Crime fiction identifying perpetrator
plot twist · MacGuffin · suspense · thriller · noir · sleuth · investigation · Agatha Christie · puzzle · culprit
fallacy
Error in reasoning
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
trick · subterfuge · manipulation · pretense · sham · bluff · duplicity · chicanery · fraud · guile
- Old Idiomsbeyond the pale, hue and cry, scot-free, knight in shining armor, eat humble pie
- AllusionsAchilles heel, Pandora's box, Trojan horse, forbidden fruit, Midas touch
- Herringkipper, kippers, bloater, bloaters, buckling
- storytellingstorytelling, story, tale, narrative, narrator
- literary elementsplot, character, setting, theme, narrator
- mysteryclue, detective, suspect, clues, sleuth
red herringsmoking gun
Irrefutable proof of wrongdoing
material fact · material evidence · corroborating evidence · hard evidence · telling detail
redden, reds, redder, herring, reddest, reddening, reddens, herringbone, herrings