Wag the dog Meaning in English
expression
Definition
To purposely distract people from something important by focusing attention on something less significant, often used when governments or the media shift focus to hide real problems.
Usage & Nuances
This idiom is informal and often used in political or media contexts. Commonly appears as 'it's just a case of wag the dog' or 'the government is trying to wag the dog'. Do not confuse with literal references to dogs; always figurative.
Example Sentences
The government tried to wag the dog to hide the scandal.
basic
The news was just a way to wag the dog.
basic
People felt the story was made up to wag the dog.
basic
They always wag the dog when something embarrassing happens.
natural
That new celebrity gossip is just to wag the dog from political issues.
natural
Whenever the economy is bad, they find a way to wag the dog.
natural