Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Excited action or impressive display.
  • noun Evasive or misleading language; double talk.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Ambiguous or meaningless language.
  • noun Empty and tiresome speculation.
  • noun informal Something presenting itself in a fanciful and showy, often unrealistic manner, especially when intended to impress and confuse.
  • noun rare A long and imposing series of mindless but necessary tasks; drudgery.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun any exciting and complex play intended to confuse (dazzle) the opponent

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Perhaps alteration of razzle-dazzle.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Origin uncertain; perhaps an extended form of razz(le-dazzle).

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Examples

  • In short, razzmatazz Las Vegas has come to Toronto.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed PAULA CITRON 2011

  • “LORD Mandelson has admitted Gordon Brown's leadership needs more "razzmatazz", as the Prime Minister fought off renewed attacks on his leadership style during a trip to the United States”

    Friday morning and oh what the hell is going on NOW? Thatsnews 2009

  • EDITOR: I think a lack of 'razzmatazz' is the least of Mr Brown's problem behaviour...

    Friday morning and oh what the hell is going on NOW? Thatsnews 2009

  • “LORD Mandelson has admitted Gordon Brown's leadership needs more "razzmatazz", as the Prime Minister fought off renewed attacks on his leadership style during a trip to the United States”

    Archive 2009-09-01 Thatsnews 2009

  • EDITOR: I think a lack of 'razzmatazz' is the least of Mr Brown's problem behaviour...

    Archive 2009-09-01 Thatsnews 2009

  • Lord Mandelson, the influential Business Secretary, last week publicly called on him to show more "razzmatazz".

    Telegraph.co.uk: news business sport the Daily Telegraph newspaper Sunday Telegraph 2009

  • He and Kym performed a glitzy Broadway number that put Donny in tails, offered 100 percent what Len always calls "razzmatazz," and played up every showbiz cliché Donny has at his disposal.

    msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines 2009

  • Even his key Cabinet ally, the influential business secretary Peter Mandelson, said Brown must show more "razzmatazz," to entice voters disillusioned with his leadership.

    WBAY Action 2 News 2009

  • West Bromwich 3 West Ham 2: Zola discovers size of task on and off field Liverpool 2 Manchester United 1: Alonso has right spirit as Liverpool ruin big day for Berbatov Manchester City 1 Chelsea 3: Lampard adds a note of reality to City 'razzmatazz'

    The Independent - Frontpage RSS Feed 2008

  • West Bromwich 3 West Ham 2: Zola discovers size of task on and off field Portsmouth 2 Middlesbrough 1: Defoe and Crouch on song as Pompey tune up for Uefa Cup Manchester City 1 Chelsea 3: Lampard adds a note of reality to City 'razzmatazz'

    The Independent - Frontpage RSS Feed 2008

Comments

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  • contains 4 (!count 'em!)z's. yea!

    December 2, 2006

  • aka razzamatazz

    August 9, 2007

  • Also pizzazz, if you choose to spell it that way. You can drop any of the z's and it will be comprehensible, or even two if they're non-adjacent.

    August 9, 2007

  • As a color it is a rose or pinkish.

    October 15, 2010

  • blichtr

    January 18, 2012