all sizzle and no steak

English

Pronunciation

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Noun

all sizzle and no steak (uncountable)

1. (idiomatic) A thing or person which fails to measure up to its description or advance promotion.

   Her latest novel is all sizzle and no steak.

   • 1999, "Nonprofit community increasing nervousness about Year 2000" by Gary M. Grobman. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, vol 4 issue 2.

     Y2K may be the equivalent of the Kohotek comet—all sizzle and no steak.

Synonyms

• all hat and no cattle
• all talk and no action