exhibition

noun

ex·​hi·​bi·​tion ˌek-sə-ˈbi-shən 

1

: an act or instance of exhibiting

2

British : a grant drawn from the funds of a school or university to help maintain a student

3

: a public showing (as of works of art, objects of manufacture, or athletic skill)

an exhibition of early American crafts

an exhibition game

Synonyms of exhibition

• exhibit
• display

Examples of exhibition in a Sentence

There were several famous paintings at the exhibition.

an exhibition of early American crafts

helping to promote artists by exhibition of their paintings

Recent Examples on the Web

Ahead of the Whitney Museum’s 2015 retrospective for Frank Stella—the museum’s first career-spanning survey for any artist at its new downtown building—dealers and advisers were already treating the exhibition as a market catalyst. —Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 15 Apr. 2026

The exhibition level of the David Geffen Galleries is supported by seven pavilions that provide space for education and public programs, a theater, retail, and restaurants. —Julie Sharp, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026

The Patron Saint of Movie Theaters has returned to CinemaCon, the exhibition industry’s annual trade show. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026

And the 17-acre Landhuis Bloemhof, a former plantation dating back to 1735, is a bustling cultural hub offering contemporary exhibitions and serving as a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. —Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing exhibition

• make an exhibition of oneself
• on exhibition
• self-exhibition

Rhymes for exhibition

• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition
• demolition

Kids Definition

exhibition

noun

ex·​hi·​bi·​tion ˌek-sə-ˈbish-ən 

1

: an act or instance of exhibiting

2

: a public showing (as of works of art, manufactured goods, or athletic skill)