SHOWINESS Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

showiness

noun

Definition of showiness

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 The pace of the Sorkinian banter is meaningful beyond its showiness. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026 My feelings about Dudamel as an interpreter have ranged from irritation at his turn-it-up-to-11 showiness to admiration for his ability to make listeners hear music afresh. — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026 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 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

The space, tucked inside a commercial building in the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat HaSharon, is conspicuously devoid of ostentation.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
The interiors are relatively forgettable, but in a town marked by ostentation, the crowd counts for more than the surroundings.

— Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of ostentation

Noun

Bachelier’s Havanese portrait may be unrivaled for its aggressive flamboyance, but these sorts of paintings of little pet dogs were by no means an exclusively French phenomenon.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
One of wrestling’s first true mainstream celebrities, Gorgeous George became a television sensation whose flamboyance, swagger and mastery of self-promotion famously influenced a young Muhammad Ali.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of flamboyance

Noun

The White House last week unveiled a glitzy new website to showcase the arch, which is slated to rise in a mass of gold ornamentation and stately gray granite between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2026
For a broader look at India’s adornment traditions, the Amrapali Museum offers an introduction to tribal jewelry and ornamentation from across the country, showcasing one of the largest collections of its kind.

— Shalbha Sarda, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2026

Definition of ornamentation

Noun

Now that same technology is being used to turn his spectacular downfall into an internet spectacle.

— Steve Mollman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2026
Widely considered as the first summer blockbuster, the film revolutionized how Hollywood distributed its big-budget spectacles.

— Antonio Ferme, Variety, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of spectacle

Noun

By now, Renate Reinsve is no stranger to the closing-night pomp of the Cannes Film Festival, having won the best actress trophy in 2021 for Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, her first ever leading role.

— Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
But for all the pomp and ceremony, China analysts broadly predict the leaders’ personal relationship and policy goals will result in a cautious summit that yields few major deliverables.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of pomp

Noun

Connie’s cakes, one carrot and one chocolate, took way too long to bake, and so her decoration turns out to be a little rudimentary.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
The addition of silver, gold, and white decorations completes the timeless look and adds festive shine.

— Maria Sabella, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of decoration

Noun

Beyond the glitz and glamour, Daniel Besharat, whose family owns City Spa, says the bathhouse has always been home to a wide range of immigrants.

— Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
The evening was full of glitz and glamour, too, as celebs hit the carpet in incredible designer threads and accessories.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of glitz

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

Definition of flashiness

Browse Nearby Words

showery

showiness

showing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Showiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showiness. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of showiness

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

lissome

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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'

Popular in Wordplay

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

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

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

Popular

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

Games & Quizzes