showy

play

adjective \ ˈshō-ē \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of showy

showier; showiest

1 :making an attractive show :striking

a showy orchid

2 :given to or marked by a flashy often tasteless display

—

showily

play \ˈshō-ə-lē\ adverb

—

showiness

play \ˈshō-ē-nəs\ noun

See showy defined for English-language learners

See showy defined for kids

Examples of showy in a Sentence

Perhaps you should wear something a little less showy.
orchid plants are known for their huge showy flowers

Recent Examples of showy from the Web

In Tokyo, Japan, where the pink lotus make a famous and showy display in a pond in a city park, residents claim that the flowers open with an audible pop.

— ben raines | braines@al.com, AL.com, "Stranded in the Delta with nothing but time and a camera," 30 Aug. 2017
The showy perennials line and overflow stone and pebble walkways, and fill decorative pots.

— roxanne washington, cleveland.com, "Cool Spaces: Euclid Japanese Maple gardener hosts tours at her home (photos and video)," 23 Aug. 2017
This showy double-flowered type responds to light, opening wide in the bright sun. 2.

— martha stewart, star-telegram, "It’s the perfect time to start planting tulips for spring," 19 Aug. 2017
As a writer, Mr. Shepard produced dramas that were poetic, mythical and often highly showy for actors who were tasked with being introspective and combustible.

— nelson pressley, Washington Post, "Sam Shepard, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and Oscar-nominated actor, dies at 73," 31 July 2017
This compact grower produces large and wildly impressive blooms with double flowers (each flower has more than 20 showy sepals rather than the typical four!) that start out white and fade gradually to deep pink.

— paul cappiello, The Courier-Journal, "Queen of the summer. Why your garden needs an oakleaf hydrangea," 14 July 2017
Showy milkweed defends itself from wild grazers by secreting a sticky latex when leaves are broken, and is also poisonous to many animals.

— david caraccio, sacbee, "Monarchs, bees and other insects take over Yosemite milkweed fields," 13 July 2017
A few notables: Christ’s paintbrush, a showy yellow flower that only blooms on the summit of Mount Harrison in the upper elevations of the Albion Mountains in Cassia County.

— anna webb, idahostatesman, "It’s not too late. Higher elevations in Idaho still offer a wildflower show," 10 July 2017
The pitcher plant's showy flowers are held aloft like balled flags, facing down from tall stems.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "These stunning plants all have one thing in common: A taste for blood," 3 July 2017

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

First Known Use of showy

1697

showy Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of showy

showy, pretentious, ostentatious mean given to excessive outward display. showy implies an imposing or striking appearance but usually suggests cheapness or poor taste.

- the performers' showy costumes

pretentious implies an appearance of importance not justified by the thing's value or the person's standing.

- a pretentious parade of hard words

ostentatious stresses vainglorious display or parade.

- the ostentatious summer homes of the rich

SHOWY Defined for English Language Learners

showy

play

adjective

Definition of showy for English Language Learners

: having an appearance that attracts attention

SHOWY Defined for Kids

showy

play

adjective \ ˈshō-ē \

Definition of showy for Students

showier; showiest

1 :attracting attention :striking

showy flower blossoms

2 :given to or being too much outward display :gaudy

showy jewelry

Learn More about showy

See words that rhyme with showy Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for showy Spanish Central: Translation of showy Nglish: Translation of showy for Spanish speakers

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showy

Definition of showy

showily

showiness

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Examples of showy in a Sentence

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SHOWY Defined for English Language Learners

showy

Definition of showy for English Language Learners

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showy

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