adj, slang ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Adjective

1. 1
   Calling attention; flashy; standing out to the eye. derogatory, sometimes
2. 2
   Making a striking or aesthetically pleasing display.

   "showy flowers"

3. 3
   Inclined to showing (by conveying an impression so that events are described in the narrative), instead of telling (by explicitly stating facts). informal

   "I think my problem with it is that it's a) a little "telly" not "showy" in comparison to the rest […]"

Adjective

1. 1
   superficially attractive and stylish; suggesting wealth or expense wordnet
2. 2
   (used especially of clothes) marked by conspicuous display wordnet
3. 3
   displaying brilliance and virtuosity wordnet
4. 4
   marked by ostentation but often tasteless wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

flamboyantflashyloudaffectedambitiousarabesque

Antonyms

All antonyms

plainausterebarelow-key

Example

More examples

"This showy dress isn't appropriate for me."

Etymology

From show (noun) + -y.

Related phrases

showy goatsbeardshowy mistletoeshowy orchisshowy sundewstanding out

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.