FLASHINESSES Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'flashy' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of flashy are garish , gaudy , meretricious , and tawdry . While all these words mean "vulgarly or cheaply showy," flashy implies an effect of brilliance quickly and easily seen to be shallow or vulgar. // a flashy nightclub act

Q: When can 'garish' be used instead of 'flashy'?

Although the words garish and flashy have much in common, garish describes what is distressingly or offensively bright. // garish neon signs

Q: When is it sensible to use 'gaudy' instead of 'flashy'?

The meanings of gaudy and flashy largely overlap; however, gaudy implies a tasteless use of overly bright, often clashing colors or excessive ornamentation. // circus performers in gaudy costumes

Q: When might 'meretricious' be a better fit than 'flashy'?

The synonyms meretricious and flashy are sometimes interchangeable, but meretricious stresses falsity and may describe a tawdry show that beckons with a false allure or promise. // a meretricious wasteland of casinos and bars

Q: When would 'tawdry' be a good substitute for 'flashy'?

In some situations, the words tawdry and flashy are roughly equivalent. However, tawdry applies to what is at once gaudy and cheap and sleazy. // tawdry saloons

flashiness 1 of 2

noun

Definition of flashiness next

as in flamboyance

excessive or unnecessary display his penchant for flashiness, as evidenced by his expensive, specially tailored suits

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flashy

2 of 2

adjective

ˈfla-shē

as in stylish

attractively eye-catching in style I bought a flashy new car as soon as I got my first paycheck

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in loud

excessively showy wore flashy rings on almost all the fingers of his left hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective flashy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of flashy are garish, gaudy, meretricious, and tawdry. While all these words mean "vulgarly or cheaply showy," flashy implies an effect of brilliance quickly and easily seen to be shallow or vulgar.

a flashy nightclub act

When can garish be used instead of flashy?

Although the words garish and flashy have much in common, garish describes what is distressingly or offensively bright.

garish neon signs

When is it sensible to use gaudy instead of flashy?

The meanings of gaudy and flashy largely overlap; however, gaudy implies a tasteless use of overly bright, often clashing colors or excessive ornamentation.

circus performers in gaudy costumes

When might meretricious be a better fit than flashy?

The synonyms meretricious and flashy are sometimes interchangeable, but meretricious stresses falsity and may describe a tawdry show that beckons with a false allure or promise.

a meretricious wasteland of casinos and bars

When would tawdry be a good substitute for flashy?

In some situations, the words tawdry and flashy are roughly equivalent. However, tawdry applies to what is at once gaudy and cheap and sleazy.

tawdry saloons

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of flashiness

Noun

The entertainment rooms can serve as places to enjoy cocktails and billiards (both villas feature Steinway & Sons grand pianos), the dining rooms feel cinematic without being too formal, and the bedroom suites favor comfort rather than flashiness. —

David Morris, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2026 Leopard, cheetah, and even zebra recall an era shaped by the flashiness of Christina Aguilera and Paris Hilton. —

Malia Griggs, Glamour, 20 Dec. 2025

Adjective

The decor with sheepskin rugs and arm lamps for reading lights is neither flashy nor overtly quirky, but simple and homey, as if it were designed by a tasteful Scandinavian grandmother who relocated to the wilds of Patagonia. —

Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 May 2026 Vadim traded his artistic calling for a flashy job in a privatized TV station and was then tapped for a political consultancy by the oligarch Boris Berezovsky (Will Keen)—halt! —

Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for flashiness

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flashiness

Noun

His flamboyance never tips into caricature, and along with wit and warmth there is real pain.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
For attorneys in an overcrowded marketplace, in a city with casual ethics and a weakness for flamboyance, an outlandish sales pitch can be the best way to break through.

— Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026