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

Meanwhile, closer to home, at the Glock Horse Performance Center in Austria, Kathrin put together a series of lavish Horses & Stars pageants. —Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026

Her social media profiles feature choreographed routines and stage work, aligning with the movements seen during the pageant. —Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

Guests can also catch lucha libre wrestling, an exotic car show and a chihuahua beauty pageant. —Aviva Bechky, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026

Miss Grand Thailand pageant contestant had an unforgettable malfunction while on stage. —Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 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