as in conspicuous
formal + disapproving
attractive in a cheap or false way
meretricious beauty lacking in any real substance
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Recent Examples of meretricious
These meretricious narratives play well throughout the Global South.
—
Michael Miklaucic, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025
These meretricious narratives play well throughout the Global South.
—Michael Miklaucic, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
Denzel Washington stars as Macrinus, a meretricious arms dealer who own a stable of gladiators, while Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are brothers and ruling emperors.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 1 July 2024
But as a character study, with Holocaust themes deepening the stakes of the domestic turmoil, the play holds up extremely well in its critique of a world that has lost its capacity for silence and that is prepared to sacrifice literature for meretricious distraction.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
The bullying tactics being used to sell this boondoggle are underhanded and meretricious.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024
These shows raised the bar for musical drama and proved to Broadway that meretricious soullessness isn’t the only way.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023
You’re left with a feeling of overwhelming perversity, of a kind of meretricious, insane God out there playing games.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2023
Today’s sleek, simple anti-It Bags, on the other hand, telegraph a less meretricious sort of chic.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, WSJ, 7 Jan. 2023
Michael Miklaucic, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025
These meretricious narratives play well throughout the Global South.
—Michael Miklaucic, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
Denzel Washington stars as Macrinus, a meretricious arms dealer who own a stable of gladiators, while Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are brothers and ruling emperors.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 1 July 2024
But as a character study, with Holocaust themes deepening the stakes of the domestic turmoil, the play holds up extremely well in its critique of a world that has lost its capacity for silence and that is prepared to sacrifice literature for meretricious distraction.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
The bullying tactics being used to sell this boondoggle are underhanded and meretricious.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024
These shows raised the bar for musical drama and proved to Broadway that meretricious soullessness isn’t the only way.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023
You’re left with a feeling of overwhelming perversity, of a kind of meretricious, insane God out there playing games.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2023
Today’s sleek, simple anti-It Bags, on the other hand, telegraph a less meretricious sort of chic.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, WSJ, 7 Jan. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meretricious
Adjective
-
Apple is a conspicuous laggard, the stock on the verge of breaking down below a former peak from almost two years ago.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
2 June 2025
-
The conspicuous tracking collar is clearly visible in the video.—
Brooke Baitinger,
Sacbee.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Despite encountering macroeconomic challenges, the brand persists as a global growth powerhouse with an expanding international presence and remarkable efficiency.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
Even the endless parade of records this match set doesn’t quite do justice to the remarkable tennis on display.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
The brilliant fruits of tessellated talents at opposite sides of the world.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
The Emerald Coast beaches have fine quartz crystal sand and brilliant green waters, which give the coastline its eponymous name.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
Arrowhead first set the Guinness world record for loudest stadium in 2013.—
Nate Taylor,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
-
Polite applause follows each performance, with occasional loud cheering and outbursts of awe.—
Melanie Stetson Freeman,
Christian Science Monitor,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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Last year, there were multiple reports and videos of noticeable early exits at various Trump events.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
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The chirping is hardly noticeable at a nearby pizza restaurant with the doors closed.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
And some series drew big crowds, such as Hagerty’s dramatic three-game conquests against Winter Park and Spruce Creek, which included three extra-inning games.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 June 2025
-
That, in turn, would drive up federal tax receipts and fill most, if not all, of the hole created by $3.7 trillion loss of revenue to the government projected over 10 years at the same time Trump’s tariffs would drive a dramatic surge in revenue not included in any budget score tied to the bill.—
Phil Mattingly,
CNN Money,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
This tall, airy verbena is very striking when the wispy stems wave in the breeze.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 June 2025
-
Nickerson became a person of interest in the case just days after Peterson was killed, when he was arrested in an unrelated crime and detectives noticed his booking photo bore a striking resemblance to a police sketch of the teacher’s killer.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
Most impressively, Kohli has been able to tweak his game, batting with more explosiveness at the top of the order to produce an outstanding season for RCB.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
The Chicago Bar Association’s award for outstanding lawyer is named in her honor.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Meretricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meretricious. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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