pageant

noun

pag·​eant ˈpa-jənt 

1

a

: a mere show : pretense

b

: an ostentatious display

2

: show, exhibition

especially : an elaborate colorful exhibition or spectacle often with music that consists of a series of tableaux, of a loosely unified drama, or of a procession usually with floats

3

: pageantry sense 1

Synonyms of pageant

• parade
• presentation
• panorama

Examples of pageant in a Sentence

They disagreed with the pageant judges.

Their church puts on an annual Christmas pageant.

Recent Examples on the Web

Figure skating is like a pageant wrapped in a game show with a little bit of reality show thrown in. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026

The finale is, fittingly, D&G’s tribute to Puccini and Verdi and the grand pageant that is Italian opera. —Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026

The state and national pageants showcase the talents, brains and looks of the woman synonymous with American beauty. —Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 4 Feb. 2026

At a pageant in Stephenville, Edythe measured the winner while Mary Kay supervised the rodeo queen’s makeup. —Hollace Ava Weiner, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pagyn, padgeant, literally, scene of a play, from Anglo-French pagine, pagent, from Medieval Latin pagina, perhaps from Latin, page

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

pageant

noun

pag·​eant ˈpaj-ənt 

1

: an impressive exhibition or spectacle

2

: an entertainment consisting of scenes based on history or legend