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

Relevance
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
  • Since the war began in February, Iranian authorities have mobilized supporters through military parades and exercises.
    — Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
  • That’s welcome news for families heading to pumpkin patches, neighborhood parades, Halloween parties and, of course, trick-or-treating.
    — Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of parades
Noun
  • Among other efforts, the museum recently broke ground on Wonder Works, an auxiliary building where exhibits can be both created and repaired for the museum.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The museum is noted for ongoing exhibits that aim to make science fun for children.
    — Holly Andres, Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of exhibits
Noun
  • Strategies become filled with acronyms, presentations become overloaded with detail, explanations assume knowledge that many people simply do not have.
    — Julien Fortuit, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Attendees can expect two and a half days of pitching sessions, panel talks, case studies, presentations and more for people involved or interested in films and media content for children and young audiences.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of presentations
Noun
  • Beyond the yacht itself, the club promises a year-round social calendar, from live concerts and art exhibitions at sea to private events ashore with fashion houses, watchmakers, and fellow members’ clubs.
    — Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The California Museum, which houses the California Hall of Fame and welcomes traveling exhibitions, is small compared to Sacramento institutions such as the Crocker or the Railroad Museum.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of exhibitions
Noun
  • The Sky Rooftop restaurant is the property’s undisputed star with jaw-dropping panoramas of the lake, mountains, and city that surround it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • 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
Definition of panoramas
Noun
  • Oversight highs and lows The modern era of congressional oversight has produced some very important reforms – and some truly regrettable spectacles.
    — Gibbs Knotts, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 2026
  • All of it was accessorized with silver spectacles and a fat silver watch chain.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 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
  • The mounting modules also allow the displays to be adjusted to different angles.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Boston has announced when holiday light displays and Christmas trees will be lit up in the city to end 2026.
    — Digital Producer, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of displays

Browse Nearby Words

pageantry
pageants
pageboy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pageants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pageants. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gauntlet

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All