as in ostentation
excessive or unnecessary display
we were somewhat put off by the saber-rattling showiness of the military parade
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of showiness
There’s also a kind of garish showiness that the Academy isn’t immune to.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
These choices reflect a desire for comfort and authenticity rather than showiness.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
These choices reflect a desire for comfort and authenticity rather than showiness.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showiness
Noun
-
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
-
Small in scale, devoid of ostentation, and otherwise deferential to Carmel’s forest character—Dyar Architecture’s Carmelo connects the dots between Carmel-by-the-Sea’s architectural past and present.—
Richard Olsen,
Forbes.com,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Drinking, flamboyance, and film- and music-making bloomed.—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
-
His newfound prominence and flamboyance — the eyeliner, the frequent shirtlessness, the leather pants — attract some vocal haters, but he’s gotten used to it.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Buried amidst the ornamentation is a tiny frog on a skull that students look to for good luck.—
Rick Steves,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
-
The 20th century led to a stronger simplification and standardization of men’s fashion, yet simultaneously witnessed the emergence of charismatic figures such as artists, intellectuals and icons of music and cinema, who reinstated ornamentation as a powerful means of individual expression.—
Andrea Onate,
Footwear News,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Clydesdales have become a Super Bowl favorite, and their appearance in 2026 will mark their 48th overall in the advertising roster of the gridiron spectacle.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
-
It’s become largely focussed on creating spectacles, such as the No Kings protests, that can mobilize large numbers of people at breakneck speed to march, sign petitions, and contribute money.—
Charles Duhigg,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The announcement was heavy on pomp and light on circumstance, so most of the details are rather fuzzy.—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
16 Jan. 2026
-
But through their ups and downs, the Globes have always tried to put pomp over politics.—
Jake Coyle,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The edifice boasts an abundance of sculpted decoration, while its grand staircase echoes Michelangelo’s design for the Laurentian Library in Florence.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Throughout the home, there has been an obvious attention to detail and decoration.—
Helen I. Bennett,
Hartford Courant,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The brothers operated in the glitz and glamour of the Hamptons and South Beach.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
As millions of former California residents have already concluded, that is something that no amount of sunshine, sand or Hollywood glitz and glamor can overcome.—
Adam B. Summers,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The entertainment rooms can serve as places to enjoy cocktails and billiards (both villas feature Steinway & Sons grand pianos), the dining rooms feel cinematic without being too formal, and the bedroom suites favor comfort rather than flashiness.—
David Morris,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Leopard, cheetah, and even zebra recall an era shaped by the flashiness of Christina Aguilera and Paris Hilton.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
20 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Showiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showiness. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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