pageants

noun

plural of pageant
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pageants Because JonBenét had won several child beauty pageants, images of her in makeup and garish costumes created a spectacle around the case (which is still unsolved), and around the Ramseys. — Kate Aurthur, Variety, 21 Sep. 2026 Sisic was crowned Miss Austria in 2024, and continued to hold the title as there were no further pageants after that, the outlets reported. — Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2026 Miss World is one of the longest-running international pageants, with events such as the ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ segment, the ‘Head-to-Head’ live debate and ‘Top Model’ runway section. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026 The 2025 pageants aired on Queen Beauty Network following the May 2024 resignations of Voigt and Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava. — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Venezuelan lawyer and designer Prince Julio César, director of Miss Universe Cuba, stated at the conclusion of the event that the finalists would continue working with the organization to prepare them for other beauty pageants. — Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 However, in 2025, the pageants aired on the Queen Beauty Network, which focuses on fashion, beauty, and pageant industries. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 JonBenét’s involvement in beauty pageants became fodder for tabloids, suspicion surrounded her parents even after they had been cleared as suspects, and numerous theories developed regarding who killed her. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Aug. 2026 And then there’d be pictures of Shelly and April onstage in the beauty pageants. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pageants
  1. parades
  2. exhibits
  3. presentations
  4. exhibitions
  5. panoramas
  6. spectacles
  7. extravaganzas
  8. displays
Noun
  • Running from November 27 to January 3, the event features tree lighting ceremonies, parades, caroling sessions, and the Maker’s Market, a gathering of artisans, crafters, and food vendors.
    — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Seghers shows how the Nazis win over unemployed youth by hosting parades, concerts, and outdoor expeditions.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of parades
Noun
  • Spanning 30,500 square feet, the museum houses 19 permanent exhibits that explore everything from presidential and papal funerals to historic hearses, cremation, mourning traditions, and funeral customs from around the world.
    — Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2026
  • My friends who were Philly natives were my tour guides, and I was inspired by their passion for the exhibits.
    — Lili Mei Granda Argianas, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhibits
Noun
  • Users can scroll through webpages, pinch to zoom in on photos, drag and drop slides between presentations, and move windows around the screen using touch gestures.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Wow and Festival Experience dance, music, craft and cooking demonstrations, storytelling, wildlife presentations at the annual Pow Wow and Festival at Stone Mountain Park.
    — Mary Caldwell, AJC.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of presentations
Noun
  • One of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art fairs, Art Basel includes exhibitions by 211 international galleries at Paris’ Grand Palais.
    — Elitsa Gadeva, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Plans call for a fan-accessible research library and physical archive, a digital preservation hub, galleries devoted to Garcia’s art and instruments and exhibitions exploring the blues, folk, country and jazz traditions that shaped him.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhibitions
Noun
  • Gerlach, the photographer, began documenting the kitchens in 360-degree panoramas after discovering that existing photographs rarely captured the relationship between their individual components.
    — Tara Anne Dalbow, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The Forêt du Dom hike is a five- to six-hour loop through centuries-old cork oaks, while the sporty Les Hauts de Bormes trail delivers breathtaking coastal panoramas.
    — Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of panoramas
Noun
  • All kinds of films, from big-budget spectacles to art house dramas, are stretching their runtimes.
    — Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Some of these spooky spectacles incorporate lights that dance to music, animatronics that come to life and graveyards full of tombstones.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of spectacles
Noun
  • While dining venues are complimentary, elaborate food-and-wine pairing extravaganzas come with a fee.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In those films, Nolan retained his auteurist fire while creating big, bold populist extravaganzas.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 21 July 2026
Definition of extravaganzas
Noun
  • Smaller displays near the bottom of the windshield also show speed and lap data, helping drivers monitor performance without looking away from the road for long.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • From giant pumpkins to elaborate tableaux, the displays have taken on a life of their own, as locals and visitors crawl the city for the spookiest steps.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of displays

Browse Nearby Words

pageantry
pageants
pageboy
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Cite this Entry

“Pageants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pageants. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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