in a trench coat
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Pretending to be something greater, especially unconvincingly.
Register: humorous, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Canada is three mining companies in a trench coat, wearing a stupid hat and carrying a gun.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “in a trench coat” mean?
Pretending to be something greater, especially unconvincingly.
Is “in a trench coat” formal or informal?
in a trench coat is generally humorous, slang.