as in terrible
marked by low quality and unbecoming appearance
We tolerate the neighbors' tawdry Christmas display during the holidays, but by January we're about sick of it.
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Dissimilar Words
as in trumpery
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tawdry
Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Various tawdry plots are picked up and discarded as the story staggers onward.
—Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
The film was a hit on 42nd Street, possessing a certain tawdry entertainment value.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 June 2025
Born a modest gathering of kindred spirits, the festival hath blossomed into a celebration of the days of yore, where knights do clash, bards sing sweet airs, merchants display their wares most fine and wenches doth tease in tawdry jests.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tawdry
Noun
Then there’s the cup holder cover, a small detail, which is tawdry and lets the expensive-feeling cabin down a bit.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Various tawdry plots are picked up and discarded as the story staggers onward.
—Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
The film was a hit on 42nd Street, possessing a certain tawdry entertainment value.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 June 2025
Born a modest gathering of kindred spirits, the festival hath blossomed into a celebration of the days of yore, where knights do clash, bards sing sweet airs, merchants display their wares most fine and wenches doth tease in tawdry jests.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tawdry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tawdry
Adjective
-
Yes, there are so much terrible stuff online.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
-
But that obviously terrible call compromised the integrity of that game last night, and that's something the sport should be looking to avoid.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
What was the strategic benefit to the US of all this geopolitical trumpery?—
Peter Bergen,
CNN,
28 May 2022
-
So will the border continue to vanish in the face of nativist backlash and a trumpery, gimcrack wall?—
Felipe Fernández-Armesto,
WSJ,
25 June 2018
Adjective
-
Cutting carbs entirely can raise the risk of cholesterol, kidney stones, poor bone health, gut problems, and even cancer, added Stefanki.—
Caitlin Pagán,
Verywell Health,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Before Wednesday’s game, people within the organization were optimistic about Helsley putting his tipping problem and overall poor pitching behind him, pointing to a clean inning Monday.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
These behaviors create miserable workplace cultures that lead to a big retention and employee engagement problem.—
Ellen Whitlock Baker,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
But the Broncos will look to confuse him with multiple looks and make the Titans one dimensional to make his life miserable.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
None of the 95 rooms at this palatial property, which first opened in the 1860s, is the same, and the decor is an eccentric mishmash that combines every era since then, from Victorian fripperies to sinuously streamlined Art Nouveau.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
28 July 2025
-
In tonight’s episode, Aurora has more to worry about than mere frippery.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
There is little that has gone right for Tanner Scott this week, the most miserable one in what has been a rotten year in the first season as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ $72 million closer.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Due to lawn mower paths, yard football routes my sons had run, and a few rotten tree roots, dips and low spots had developed over time in our yard.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Crowds gathered at sunrise for the Dawn Patrol load-in then changed into their finery to take in the sights on the lawn during the day.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
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The photo by Getty Images' royal photographer Chris Jackson showed the Princess Royal and Sir Tim, 70, standing and smiling together in their finery before the French state banquet at Windsor Castle on July 9.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The efficiency and immediacy of space medicine may well influence healthcare innovation far beyond orbit, inspiring systems that are faster, cheaper, and more accessible.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
But because the signals are so faint, they can be drowned out by cheap jammers or replaced by counterfeit ones.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tawdry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tawdry. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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