as in ostentation
excessive or unnecessary display
we were somewhat put off by the saber-rattling showiness of the military parade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 showiness
Rose is another extraordinary showcase for her gifts and a master class in the art of acting with rigor, honesty, physicality and zero showiness.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 Feb. 2026
Garcia’s finest new dishes underscore his talent for complexity that bypasses showiness.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Still, that showiness in dialogue is latched to a shallowness of characterization.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Jan. 2026
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
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 Feb. 2026
Garcia’s finest new dishes underscore his talent for complexity that bypasses showiness.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Still, that showiness in dialogue is latched to a shallowness of characterization.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showiness
Noun
-
While Vico has been careful to avoid any kind of ostentation, Argentaia offers a spa, a tennis court, a stunning 100-foot saltwater infinity pool overlooking the valley, and a movie theater.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
22 May 2026
-
The atmosphere aligns with the philosophy: no ostentation, no grand production.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These flourishes, recalling New York’s Jazz Age flamboyance, give the vast interior its fizz — and will inevitably have value engineers salivating to trim, slice, and simplify.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
8 June 2026
-
Nobody wants to hear this — not Eisenhower, not Krick and definitely not Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery (Damian Lewis, leaning into the flamboyance).—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Lupo believes his business is one the few compo-ornamentation outfits still operating in the United States.—
Anne Kadet,
Curbed,
12 June 2026
-
Elk and bear tooth pendants were also common items of ornamentation, and important community members were buried with those adornments.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
In fact, in a time when artificial intelligence imperils the livelihoods – and lives – of laborers across economic classes, sumptuous spectacle can be an act of resistance in its own right.—
Eileen G'Sell,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
-
Every four years, soccer fans around the globe go berserk over the World Cup, but in host cities like Los Angeles, the worldwide spectacle feels bittersweet and financially out of reach.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
There aren’t crowds of excited supporters or the pomp of champagne glasses and white tablecloths.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
-
But the Dodgers scored a run off Mason Miller (introduced with pomp and video flames on the scoreboard as ‘The Reaper’) in the ninth inning and beat him and the San Diego Padres, 5-4, on Tuesday night.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Inside England’s media center The media center has some cool decorations.—
Pete Grathoff
June 14,
Kansas City Star,
15 June 2026
-
Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform and for decoration in general.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Holly Madison quickly discovered that beneath Hollywood's glitz and glamour lurked a much darker reality.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
-
Despite its proximity to the rocking scene in St-Tropez, six miles away, this discreet little oasis feels a world away from the high-octane glitz.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Originally opened in 1979 and rebranded as the Cromwell in 2014, this hot spot provided the privacy and space needed to isolate cast and crew from the public while still delivering all the flashiness and drama expected from the show.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
-
Like many early 2000s trends now making a comeback (think wedge sandals and low-rise pants), the halter top has shed much of the overt flashiness that once defined it.—
Lauren Fisher,
Footwear News,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Showiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showiness. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
