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 gaudy Those gaudy numbers came on top of fast agility times. Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025 The idea of stuffing a casino in a place already buzzing with hordes of tourists and gaudy lights made sense from afar. Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 17 Sep. 2025 The Tigers piled up gaudy stats Saturday. Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025 That gaudy slash line is almost solely responsible for Alcántara being the September call-up over top outfield prospect Owen Caissie. Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gaudy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaudy
Adjective
  • The former instantly adds a second layer of security against unwanted guests, and the latter emits an ultra-loud alarm while acting like a door stop wedge, scaring off any stranger who tries to enter your room.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Due to the struggles that the Florida State Seminoles have gone through this season following their opening upset win over the Alabama Crimson Tide, calls have begun getting louder for the program to consider firing head coach Mike Norvell.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Even standard news programming is as noisy and disjointed as the output of a Bloomberg terminal.
    Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Murray & His Blood Brothers, a blues-rock outfit comprised of singers and guitarists Mike Zito, Albert Castiglia and Jimmy Vivino, delivered a night of raucous, noisy blues and covers to the historic 2,360-person venue.
    Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Some have also characterized the undertaking — which is taking place amid the government shutdown — as a garish expression of personal vanity.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Someone had once painted the walls a garish ’90s red.
    Diana Hubbell, Saveur, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • OpenAI’s proposition with Sora 2 feels slightly different—more like a flashy proof of concept to showcase the power of its models.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
  • According to police sources, the Kinahans love driving flashy cars.
    Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gaudy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaudy. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gaudy

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