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gaudy

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective gaudy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of gaudy are flashy, garish, meretricious, and tawdry. While all these words mean "vulgarly or cheaply showy," gaudy implies a tasteless use of overly bright, often clashing colors or excessive ornamentation.

circus performers in gaudy costumes

When could flashy be used to replace gaudy?

The words flashy and gaudy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, flashy implies an effect of brilliance quickly and easily seen to be shallow or vulgar.

a flashy nightclub act

When is garish a more appropriate choice than gaudy?

While in some cases nearly identical to gaudy, garish describes what is distressingly or offensively bright.

garish neon signs

Where would meretricious be a reasonable alternative to gaudy?

The synonyms meretricious and gaudy 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 is it sensible to use tawdry instead of gaudy?

In some situations, the words tawdry and gaudy 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 gaudiness
Adjective
But even on the nights where Edwards’ stat lines were less gaudy, his impact remained profound. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 1 May 2025 In his senior year alone, those numbers are more gaudy: 1,319 yards, 15.7 yards per catch and eight touchdowns — gaining a reputation for making catches in traffic, and doing so after lining up pretty much anywhere he was asked to, in the slot or on the outside. Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Apr. 2025 At every step, he's been able to invest some money into other people's good ideas and then cash out—literally and figuratively—with more money and a gaudier reputation, despite contributing very little. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025 What was outside of David after that challenge was a big, gaudy immunity necklace, something Cedrek certainly could have used considering his fate later that night. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gaudiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaudiness
Noun
  • This spectacle on a busy Friday afternoon led a crowd to gather, with some denouncing the show of force and impeding the ICE operation.
    U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
  • Simply, all viewers have to do is look up with the naked eye to take in the spectacular spectacle.
    Skyler Caruso, People.com, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Arrowhead first set the Guinness world record for loudest stadium in 2013.
    Nate Taylor, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • Ensure everyone is secure inside before banging pots or making other loud noises to scare the bear away.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 29 May 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • The mansion, often considered a monument to Roaring ‘20s ostentation, stretches from the Intracoastal to the Atlantic Ocean.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Its lineup interspersed noisy no wave groups like Pop Music Fever Dream and Pure Adult, upbeat pop-rock performances from bands like Um, Jennifer?
    Grace Robins-Somerville, Pitchfork, 4 June 2025
  • The sheer volume of content created far outpaces what audiences can consume, leading to a noisy, crowded digital ecosystem.
    Luca Brinkhues, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • There was a moment early in the season at Stamford Bridge when — amid all the ceremony and pomp that comes before a modern Premier League game — Nikola Milenkovic stood perfectly still.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • Extra pomp doesn’t have to skew antiquated, either, as several modern variations from upscale brands like Sferra and Annie Selke illustrate.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • Trend forecasters have been touting the boom-boom aesthetic of shoulder pads and power suits and garish displays of excess while Donald Trump, ’80s tabloid fixture turned actual president, is back in the office.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 6 May 2025
  • In an online space dominated by advertisements and garish displays of wealth, content that encourages users not to buy anything new can be both empowering and, in Dean’s words, kind of radical.
    Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Whatever the shape of your face or preference for colour or flamboyance level, the idea is the same: pack one pair that works with every outfit and be done with it.
    Nick Hendry, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Their flamboyance was a public assertion of freedom, particularly in the north of the United States, where many migrated to reinvent and present themselves following freedom.
    Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Transparent — these see-through beauts with wrap-up ankle straps are in a league of their own, saying a lot without ever appearing too flashy.
    Stacia Datskovska, WWD, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Amid the classic, flashy film and television premieres this week at SXSW, the festival also offered a forum for burgeoning creators to showcase their work in the Independent TV Pilot Program.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gaudiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaudiness. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

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