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
So ranked-choice voting was implemented as a stop-loss remedy — a move to camouflage the practices of an industry devoted to meretricious, often nihilistic entertainments.
—
Armond White,
National Review,
27 June 2025
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
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
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
The bullying tactics being used to sell this boondoggle are underhanded and meretricious.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Mercury News,
25 Jan. 2024
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
Armond White,
National Review,
27 June 2025
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
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
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
The bullying tactics being used to sell this boondoggle are underhanded and meretricious.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Mercury News,
25 Jan. 2024
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meretricious
Adjective
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Other discounters step up Spirit’s other rivals in the discount category also have been conspicuous in their additions, essentially upholding the airport’s tradition of being the state’s mainstay for budget carriers.
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Massage scheduling communications One of the most conspicuous absences is communication relating to the scheduling of massages in the years prior to Epstein's death.
Adjective
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Rather than succumb to the misery of its subject matter, Union County is about the quiet, tedious, and remarkable work that is getting and staying sober — the final product a testament to all that can be achieved.
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These creative calculations suggest a grand total of about 20 million species of insects, many of them with behaviors and physical adaptations and remarkable lives scientists today can only dream of discovering.
Adjective
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In late May, in broad daylight, residents across Massachusetts and beyond saw a brilliant flash in the sky, followed by two sonic booms that rattled windows, shook houses, and prompted a flood of 911 calls.
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To play that part is brilliant, and to work with [prosthetic designer] Mike Marino and do that whole thing with the makeup is amazing.
Adjective
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Despite a soggy start, the crowd stayed loud and energetic throughout the night.
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There are loud crowds, and then there are Mexican soccer crowds.
Adjective
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Evolutionary cues, emotional encoding and genetics all converge in how partners experience each other’s smell, and a noticeable shift in that experience may be worth paying attention to.
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After 12 weeks, the results suggested that a tiny dose of regular exercise could yield noticeable physical benefits.
Adjective
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Now, following intense backlash from local communities, a series of lawsuits and a leadership shakeup at the Department of Homeland Security, the agency appears to be abandoning the initiative – a dramatic shift away from a plan that had already seen spending upwards of $1 billion.
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The show’s dramatic romance and journey of self-growth seems to fit in line with something Austen would’ve imagined for her characters.
Adjective
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One of the most striking aspects of Ecuador's team today is that all but three of its starting 11 were born before the turn of the century.
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This softly layered crop proves that shorter hair can be just as striking as longer styles.
Adjective
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Watson was always known for incredibly quick hands and outstanding bat speed.
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Another outstanding rug in the lineup this week is this easy-to-clean jute number from Joon Loloi at 60% off.
Cite this Entry
“Meretricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meretricious. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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