1
as in parades
a staged presentation often with music that consists of a procession of narrated or enacted scenes
we always put on a Christmas pageant every year
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2
as in exhibits
an elaborate, visually exciting show or event
an annual summertime pageant depicting the town's founding and colorful early history
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Recent Examples of pageants
From competitive cheerleading and dance to beauty pageants, my mother put me in it all.
—
Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 June 2026
For adult pageants, the organization will send Lianet Aguilera to Miss Supranational and Juan Daniel Naranjo to Mister Supranational, both contests held in Poland.
—Sarah Moreno
may 31, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026
As a teenager, Bajaria helped her immigrant family’s business, washing cars before winning a string of beauty pageants, including Miss India Worldwide in 1991.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 29 May 2026
The festival includes dancing, singing, and beauty pageants.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
The world’s first boardwalk opened here in 1870, and by the early 20th century, Atlantic City had become one of America’s great leisure capitals, home to grand seaside hotels, beauty pageants, and supper clubs, frequented by legendary performers like Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, and The Beatles.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026
Now in its 79th year, the festival features crab races—including the Governor’s Cup—cooking contests, live music, parades, pageants, running events, and boat docking competitions.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
Beauty pageants are added because +40 female adds to their mandates.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Sara also noted to SWNS that pageants have boosted her daughter's self-esteem through the years.
—Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 June 2026
For adult pageants, the organization will send Lianet Aguilera to Miss Supranational and Juan Daniel Naranjo to Mister Supranational, both contests held in Poland.
—Sarah Moreno
may 31, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026
As a teenager, Bajaria helped her immigrant family’s business, washing cars before winning a string of beauty pageants, including Miss India Worldwide in 1991.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 29 May 2026
The festival includes dancing, singing, and beauty pageants.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
The world’s first boardwalk opened here in 1870, and by the early 20th century, Atlantic City had become one of America’s great leisure capitals, home to grand seaside hotels, beauty pageants, and supper clubs, frequented by legendary performers like Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, and The Beatles.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026
Now in its 79th year, the festival features crab races—including the Governor’s Cup—cooking contests, live music, parades, pageants, running events, and boat docking competitions.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
Beauty pageants are added because +40 female adds to their mandates.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Sara also noted to SWNS that pageants have boosted her daughter's self-esteem through the years.
—Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pageants
Noun
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New York brokerage firm workers tossed the paper from office windows during parades in the late 19th century, adding a swirling spectacle.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
-
America250 Various cities across the country will host parades, festivals and major fireworks shows on or near the Fourth of July to mark the 250th anniversary of America’s founding.—
Crystal Tate,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Noun
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The Chiefs Hall of Honor on the second-level concourse contains the organization’s four Super Bowl trophies, memorabilia, exhibits and documents, and there is no admission to walk through history.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
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Home to incredible indoor and outdoor exhibits of alligators, turtles, lizards, and, of course, snakes, a visit to this attraction is a one-of-a-kind experience.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026
Noun
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And this season at Pitti Uomo and Milan Fashion Week Men’s, as a heatwave struck Europe and the looksmaxxing movement circulating around GLP-1s and peptides continues to shift body ideals, runways and presentations held a mirror up to our changing world.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
23 June 2026
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Tuesday’s presentations will focus on whether changes to annual targets are needed ahead of the 2026-2027 school year.—
Laura Horne,
Charlotte Observer,
22 June 2026
Noun
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The gallery, currently headed by former Royal Academy director of exhibitions, Kathleen Soriano, sits directly on the seafront in Hastings, overlooking the English Channel.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
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The week-long extravaganza is open to seasoned collectors, newbies, and everyone in between, offering up exhibitions, interactive workshops, and other events across the city center.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
23 June 2026
Noun
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From a point roughly 1 million miles from Earth, the telescope is expected to survey the cosmos, capturing panoramas of hundreds of millions of stars and billions of galaxies.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
15 June 2026
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There are forced close-ups (with the exception of the dining gallery, none of the rooms feels very large), and 360-degree panoramas.—
Susan Tallman,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Noun
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An early furor over accepting valuable gifts, including designer spectacles and Taylor Swift concert tickets, was followed by a series of policy U-turns, especially clumsy attempts to cut welfare spending that stirred anger in Labour ranks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 June 2026
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Given the occasion and what was at stake, extra time — and in particular the last five minutes of it — must surely be considered among the most exciting spectacles sport has ever produced.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Then-Mayor John Lindsay had cut down on ticker-tape extravaganzas for financial and other reasons.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
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Production’s involvement in paying for cast extravaganzas is something Monique brought up in a confessional interview during season 10.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ashura processions are usually dramatic affairs, with chanters singing elegies or dirges dedicated to Hussein, while audience members beat their chests and engage in displays of mourning.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
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He was substituted again against the Italians, with his game in total contrast to that of Rossi’s, who delivered one of the greatest individual displays in the World Cup’s history.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pageants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pageants. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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