Meanings
Named for purported fake settlements erected at the direction of Russian minister Grigori Aleksandrovich Potemkin to fool Empress Catherine II during her visit to Crimea in 1787. Calque of Russian потёмкинская деревня (potjómkinskaja derevnja).
Any false construct devised to disguise a shortcoming or improve appearances.
Example Sentences
1
The new shopping center turned out to be a Potemkin village, with only a few stores actually open.
2
The extravagant display of wealth in the gated community was just a Potemkin village to attract potential buyers.
3
The politician's promises of change were nothing more than a Potemkin village to win votes.
4
The company's corporate headquarters was just a Potemkin village, hiding the fact that all the important decisions were made elsewhere.
5
The supposedly bustling tourist destination turned out to be a Potemkin village with empty hotels and abandoned streets.
