OSTENTATION Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

ostentation

noun

ˌä-stən-ˈtā-shən

Definition of ostentation

as in pomp

excessive or unnecessary display the sheer ostentation of the rock star's mansion was overwhelming

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ostentation The characteristics of this aesthetic begin with simple colors that evoke understated elegance—not ostentation. — Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2026 This gesture contrasts in the central avenue of Vassilissis Sofia, with the ostentation of the immediate official buildings, where the flags are flying full. — Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 18 Jan. 2026 The lack of ostentation is in line with my impression of the surgeon himself. — Mary Roach, Wired News, 10 Nov. 2025 What existed in the White House was a relative lack of ostentation — formal, but showing occasional signs of wear and tear, proof that this was a People’s House, not a palace. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ostentation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostentation

Noun

Just being there is going to be a goosebump moment for the pomp, circumstance, and the speed.

— Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
No pomp, no circumstance, no celebrity— this is the sticky ground floor of the nation’s country music scene.

— Jacqueline Kehoe, Midwest Living, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of pomp

Noun

Freedom, mobility; who gets to be an artist; style, ornamentation, artifice; work, leisure; the counterculture; the denigration of femininity; West Coast oddballism.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
The rhinestone ornamentation doubled as a girly and whimsical photo-op.

— Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of ornamentation

Noun

Continue reading … RIGGED REPUBLIC — Russia’s election spectacle reaches occupied Ukraine as Putin looks on.

— , FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
In new work focused on Los Angeles, the artist explores the intersection between media, spectacle, architecture and the body ahead of the city hosting the 2028 Olympic Games.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of spectacle

Noun

Wilde cultivated an unmistakable appearance through his clothing, aestheticism, and flamboyance.

— William Arruda, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
The performance is daringly weird, perverse and outlandish, seductively charming, and, for all the flamboyance, Curry never veers out of control, never takes it too far.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of flamboyance

Noun

Others came hoping to find unique decorations and one-of-a-kind pieces not available in traditional retail stores.

— Hannah McIlree, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
Garage Clutter Seasonal decorations, sports equipment, old tools, outdoor gear, and miscellaneous boxes often end up in the garage with no real plan for what happens next.

— Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of decoration

Noun

The shoreline of Greece’s capital is becoming a major luxury destination, offering the glitz and glamor of its more famous Gallic counterpart but with far fewer crowds.

— Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2026
Mackie said his career grew out of a lifelong obsession with the glitz and glamour of show business.

— Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of glitz

Noun

But then, what is art if not an attempt to tidy up the real world’s teeming luxuriance?

— Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2023
The comic luxuriance of Roman references should not blind us to the significance of these constant appeals to the Roman Republic and to classical virtue.

— Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2022

Definition of luxuriance

Noun

The Dominick is all floor-to-ceiling windows, soaking tubs, rooftop pools, and moody light fixtures — in other words, its 46 stories are peppered with elements that exude upscale, sophisticated energy while avoiding all signs of gaudiness.

— Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026
So that drove a kind of character choice as well about the gaudiness of the society.

— Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026

Definition of gaudiness

Browse Nearby Words

ostensively

ostentation

ostentatious

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“Ostentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostentation. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of ostentation

noun

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