gaudy

1 of 2

adjective

gau·​dy ˈgȯ-dē 

ˈgä-

gaudier; gaudiest

1

: ostentatiously or tastelessly ornamented

gaudy costumes

2

: marked by extravagance or sometimes tasteless showiness : outlandish

gaudy lies

gaudy claims

also : exceptional

a gaudy batting average

gaudily

ˈgȯ-də-lē 

ˈgä-

adverb

gaudiness

ˈgȯ-dē-nəs 

ˈgä-

noun

gaudy

2 of 2

noun

plural gaudies

: a feast or entertainment especially in the form of an annual college dinner at a British university

Synonyms

Adjective

• flamboyant
• flaring
• flashy
• garish
• glitzy
• loud
• noisy
• ostentatious
• razzle-dazzle
• splashy
• swank
• swanky

Choose the Right Synonym for gaudy

gaudy, tawdry, garish, flashy, meretricious mean vulgarly or cheaply showy.

gaudy implies a tasteless use of overly bright, often clashing colors or excessive ornamentation.

circus performers in gaudy costumes

tawdry applies to what is at once gaudy and cheap and sleazy.

tawdry saloons

garish describes what is distressingly or offensively bright.

garish neon signs

flashy implies an effect of brilliance quickly and easily seen to be shallow or vulgar.

a flashy nightclub act

meretricious stresses falsity and may describe a tawdry show that beckons with a false allure or promise.

a meretricious wasteland of casinos and bars

Examples of gaudy in a Sentence

Adjective

The showgirls wore gaudy costumes.

They bought the house for a gaudy sum.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

So, avoid the pieces that lean on the gaudy side in favor of elevated basics like a midi skirt with a simple sequin trim or a shirt with a strategic cutout. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 3 Apr. 2024

Is Taco Bell a gaudy restaurant that serves cheap sodium bombs that all taste basically the same and bear only a passing resemblance to actual Mexican cuisine? —Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024

The golden era of plastic, where monuments are gaudy, and the colors flashy. —Paul Tassi, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Expect more gaudy base stealing totals this spring. —Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024

Travis' brother, Jason Kelce (hard to miss in his gaudy Chiefs overalls), and dad, Ed Kelce, followed a few steps behind. —Josh Peter, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024

Those stats would have been even gaudier had McClymonds not waxed every league opponent en route to another section title in coach Michael Peters’ final season. —Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2024

There’s the $200 million The Terraces, which is gaudy but breathtaking. —Nick Remsen, Vogue, 16 Jan. 2024

And the hotel’s holiday flourishes are not gaudy, nor kitschy, Ms. Maier said. —Sadiba Hasan, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

gaud + -y entry 1

Noun

probably from Latin gaudium joy — more at joy

First Known Use

Adjective

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1651, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gaudy

adjective

ˈgȯd-ē,

ˈgäd-

gaudier; gaudiest

: overly or tastelessly ornamented

gaudily

ˈgȯd-ᵊl-ē

ˈgäd-

adverb

gaudiness

-ēnəs

noun