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flashy

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adjective

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
Adjective
His flashiest assists were offset by foolhardy turnovers. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025 Neither gravitates toward the flashier aspects of the virtuoso life style. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 Those chasing flashy marketing will be left behind. Lutz Finger, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 Strategic workforce management isn’t about slashing headcount for the sake of flashy cost-cutting. Sherzod Odilov, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flashiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flashiness
Noun
  • These artists know that flamboyance needn’t preclude subtlety, and that stardom neither guarantees nor bars revelation.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • But what really makes A View to a Kill sing are the baddies, starting at the top with the Nazi-bred, ex-KGB, genetically altered microchip tycoon, horse breeder, and airship enthusiast Max Zorin, played with characteristic flamboyance by Walken.
    EW.com, EW.com, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • Finding studio apartment ideas that’ll work for you may require a bit of extra ingenuity, planning, and editing, but a stylish and functional end result is absolutely possible—and well worth the extra effort.
    Elizabeth Yuko, Architectural Digest, 12 Aug. 2025
  • It’s also made with real leather and looks more stylish and less industrial than other phone cases.
    Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Noise level Pet fountains are never completely silent, but some are louder than others.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
  • For years loud car exhausts, stereos and late-night partying in the downtown corridor have been at the center of complaints.
    Natalia Jaramillo, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Their minimalist bottles and containers photograph beautifully, their price points signal exclusivity without screaming ostentation, and their international origins provide cultural cache.
    Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 24 June 2025
  • As high heels become less of a requisite in certain arenas, the Cannes red carpet — whose ostentation is rivaled only by the Met Gala or the Oscars — is something of a final frontier.
    Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • More than 100 miles of biking tracks run down the hills, with 14 routes suitable for all skill levels, and the hotel’s partner guides don’t mind taking their snazzy electric mountain bikes along a road with guests who prefer their adrenaline in smaller doses.
    Ann Abel, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Here’s a sneak peak into the menu and more about the new snazzy joint.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • The noisy ones have either hope or larceny in their souls.
    Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Rez said platforms should build internal mechanisms that elevated antisemitism protections above noisy or majority-sourced signals in training.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Not too much glitz and glamor and smoke and mirrors.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Ty Burrell is enjoying his post-Dunphy life, far away from the glitz and glamor of Hollywood.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The chic pants can be paired with a simple black sweater and sneakers for a fashionable, on-the-go look that will effortlessly transition from the airplane to sightseeing without having to make a pitstop to change.
    Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Caddis reading glasses stand out for their bold, fashionable frames and high-quality lens technology.
    Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Flashiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flashiness. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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