as in ornamental
a small object displayed for its attractiveness or interest
some tacky little gaud that they had picked up at a souvenir stand at an amusement park
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 gaud
At the other end is the caricature, butt of flabby jokes, trussed in Las Vegas gaud, voice prostituted to a huge orchestra.
—
San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2019
Even its colors, silver and space gray, seem to have been chosen for their lack of gaud—no blingy gold model here.
—David Pierce, WIRED, 3 Nov. 2017
In their novels, the disorienting clash between Soviet gloom and American gaud is the source of dramatic tension, exploited for tragedy and, more often, comedy.
—Nathaniel Rich, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2017
San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2019
Even its colors, silver and space gray, seem to have been chosen for their lack of gaud—no blingy gold model here.
—David Pierce, WIRED, 3 Nov. 2017
In their novels, the disorienting clash between Soviet gloom and American gaud is the source of dramatic tension, exploited for tragedy and, more often, comedy.
—Nathaniel Rich, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaud
Noun
-
This substance, aptly named powdery mildew, is a common fungus that affects an array of ornamentals, vegetables, and herbs.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
31 May 2026
-
Garlic, onions, chives, and other plants in the allium family, including ornamentals, have a strong and pungent odor that repels an assortment of garden pests.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Since anybody recalled, the gate had been topped with decorative ornaments.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
At the end of the eighteenth century, the West’s power brokers, eager to exude stolid republican virtue, abjured decoration and ornament, sparking what the British psychologist John Flügel called the Great Masculine Renunciation.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gaud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaud. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
