TAWDRY Synonyms: 147 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'tawdry' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of tawdry are flashy , garish , gaudy , and meretricious . While all these words mean "vulgarly or cheaply showy," tawdry applies to what is at once gaudy and cheap and sleazy. // tawdry saloons

Q: When is 'flashy' a more appropriate choice than 'tawdry'?

In some situations, the words flashy and tawdry are roughly equivalent. However, flashy implies an effect of brilliance quickly and easily seen to be shallow or vulgar. // a flashy nightclub act

Q: In what contexts can 'garish' take the place of 'tawdry'?

The meanings of garish and tawdry largely overlap; however, garish describes what is distressingly or offensively bright. // garish neon signs

Q: When is it sensible to use 'gaudy' instead of 'tawdry'?

While in some cases nearly identical to tawdry , gaudy implies a tasteless use of overly bright, often clashing colors or excessive ornamentation. // circus performers in gaudy costumes

Q: When would 'meretricious' be a good substitute for 'tawdry'?

The words meretricious and tawdry can be used in similar contexts, but meretricious stresses falsity and may describe a tawdry show that beckons with a false allure or promise. // a meretricious wasteland of casinos and bars

tawdry 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of tawdry next

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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tawdry

2 of 2

noun

as in trumpery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the adjective tawdry contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of tawdry are flashy, garish, gaudy, and meretricious. While all these words mean "vulgarly or cheaply showy," tawdry applies to what is at once gaudy and cheap and sleazy.

tawdry saloons

When is flashy a more appropriate choice than tawdry?

In some situations, the words flashy and tawdry are roughly equivalent. However, flashy implies an effect of brilliance quickly and easily seen to be shallow or vulgar.

a flashy nightclub act

In what contexts can garish take the place of tawdry?

The meanings of garish and tawdry largely overlap; however, garish describes what is distressingly or offensively bright.

garish neon signs

When is it sensible to use gaudy instead of tawdry?

While in some cases nearly identical to tawdry, gaudy implies a tasteless use of overly bright, often clashing colors or excessive ornamentation.

circus performers in gaudy costumes

When would meretricious be a good substitute for tawdry?

The words meretricious and tawdry can be used in similar contexts, but meretricious stresses falsity and may describe a tawdry show that beckons with a false allure or promise.

a meretricious wasteland of casinos and bars

Examples 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 tawdry

Adjective

Maybe from the very beginning, the game was too cutthroat, too tawdry, too violent. —

Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2024 Paparazzi stalked him for tawdry headlines about his divorce with his first wife, Sadie Frost, in 2003, and he was even hacked by the U.K. tabloid News of the World, under secret surveillance for years without knowing it. —

Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024 But our concern is not with tawdry tales of Ferraris, Rolexes, and ball gowns. —

Steve Weisman, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024 Donahue’s popularity at that point had been far outpaced by Springer’s more tawdry brand. —

Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tawdry

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tawdry

Adjective

That would be a terrible mistake, the Fienberg brothers argued in a Dec. 17 letter that addressed only Bowers’s federal death sentence.

David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Dec. 2024
Leaving wet clothes in the washing machine for too long can lead to mold and mildew, which could permanently stain your clothes—and lead to terrible smells.

Heather Bien, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024