gaudy

adjective gau·dy \ ˈgȯ-dē , ˈgä- \

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: gaudy in a Sentence

Definition of gaudy

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

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gaudily

play \ˈgȯ-də-lē, ˈgä-\ adverb

—

gaudiness

play \ˈgȯ-dē-nəs, ˈgä-\ noun

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Examples of gaudy in a Sentence

The showgirls wore gaudy costumes.
They bought the house for a gaudy sum.

Recent Examples of gaudy from the Web

In 2018, the most expensive stud fees produce some pretty gaudy numbers.

— nihal kolur, SI.com, "What are the Highest Stud Fees for Horses?," 9 June 2018
In a mid-1980s series on the Barcelona Cathedral in Spain, the building is barely recognizable in shimmery outline and gaudy colors.

— neil genzlinger, New York Times, "Malcolm Morley, Genre-Crossing Artist, Is Dead at 86," 7 June 2018
San Francisco’s Union Square neighborhood has long served as a magnet for tourists and weekend warriors, with its luxury retailers, chain restaurants and gaudy entertainment options.

— aidin vaziri, SFChronicle.com, "August Hall offers locals a new music venue in Union Square," 4 June 2018
In other words, Pose is a gaudy statement piece with more than enough heart to go around.

— jason parham, WIRED, "With Pose, Prestige TV Becomes Resistance TV," 1 June 2018
The Pats were a team with a good defense and a backup quarterback with a gaudy record but average numbers.

— chris chase, For The Win, "15 most surprising finalists in sports history," 28 May 2018
Mourning the dead should take place on gray, rainy days — November 11 seems about right — not on the last day of May, when springtime is at its gaudy height, the world is young again and even the Giants are not out of contention, mathematically.

— herb caen, SFChronicle.com, "A moment’s silence, Herb Caen, 1982," 23 May 2018
Not all of the pay ratios released so far are so gaudy.

— emily stewart, Vox, "How does a company’s CEO pay compare to its workers? Now you can find out.," 8 Apr. 2018
The collection is so gaudy that Collin McHugh and Brad Peacock, who would start almost anywhere else, will pitch from the bullpen.

— tyler kepner, New York Times, "A.L. Preview: Watch Out, the Houston Astros Got Better," 26 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gaudy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of gaudy

gaud + ¹-y

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1582

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

gaudy Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of 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

gaudy

noun

Definition of gaudy

plural gaudies

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

Recent Examples of gaudy from the Web

During the joint press conference with Raúl Castro, there wasn’t a gaudy row of 12 overlapping American and Cuban flags as a backdrop, as there was at the greeting with Kim at the Capella Hotel.

— fabiola santiago, miamiherald, "The Trump-Rubio politics of hypocrisy: Cuba, no deal. North Korea? ‘Has great beaches.’," 12 June 2018
By all accounts, the concert itself was a gaudy, elaborate affair, with venue owner Bill Graham orchestrating a gargantuan white-tie Thanksgiving dinner for 5,000 attendees, while actual ballroom dancers waltzed throughout.

— morgan enos, Billboard, "'The Last Waltz' Soundtrack 40th Anniversary: 5 Noteworthy Performances From the Concert," 7 Apr. 2018
The elegant granite structure, whose architectural character Trump had promised to preserve, was now besmirched by a gaudy, faux-gold sign bearing his name.

— nick tabor, Daily Intelligencer, "501 Days in Swampland," 1 Apr. 2018
As a rookie, Matsuzaka went 15-12 with 201 strikeouts but a gaudy 4.40 ERA (108 ERA+), still good for 4.1 WAR.

— jay jaffe, SI.com, "Ranking the Best Rookie Seasons Among Japanese Players to Join MLB," 9 Dec. 2017
Kyrie Irving dropped 30 to lead the Celtics, and some of his play down the stretch was gaudy as well.

— dakota crawford, Indianapolis Star, "Celtics on Bogdanovic's gaffe: 'Lucky for us, he didn't want any part of the ball'," 18 Dec. 2017
Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters are dressed in gaudy, poofy dresses that complement the obnoxiousness of their characters.

— Orange County Register, "Corona del Mar offers an enchanting ‘Into the Woods’," 7 Apr. 2017
Rip Taylor Only in Chuck Barris' twisted ecosystem could a gaudy, confetti-throwing Rip Taylor have flourished.

— dave holmes, Esquire, "6 Things We Wouldn't Have If Not For Chuck Barris," 22 Mar. 2017
To someone for whom Miami is the gaudy, palm-tree-and-Art-Deco opulence of South Beach, the poverty of the Liberty City neighborhood, and its Liberty Square public housing projects, would be jarring.

— nikole hannah-jones, New York Times, "From Bittersweet Childhoods to ‘Moonlight’," 4 Jan. 2017