as in conspicuous
formal + disapproving
attractive in a cheap or false way
meretricious beauty lacking in any real substance
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Recent Examples of meretricious
Denzel Washington stars as Macrinus, a meretricious arms dealer who own a stable of gladiators, while Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are brothers and ruling emperors.
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Zoe Guy, Vulture, 1 July 2024
But as a character study, with Holocaust themes deepening the stakes of the domestic turmoil, the play holds up extremely well in its critique of a world that has lost its capacity for silence and that is prepared to sacrifice literature for meretricious distraction.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
The heads of banks, corporations, universities, law firms, foundations, and media companies were neither more nor less venal, meretricious, and greedy than their counterparts today.
—George Packer, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2011
The bullying tactics being used to sell this boondoggle are underhanded and meretricious.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024
These shows raised the bar for musical drama and proved to Broadway that meretricious soullessness isn’t the only way.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023
You’re left with a feeling of overwhelming perversity, of a kind of meretricious, insane God out there playing games.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2023
By condescending to the twins’ evident lack of cultural exposure, the media compound a circumstance that suggests remote parental influence — and dereliction of our rapaciously indifferent consumer culture that sells only what is new and meretricious.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 Aug. 2020
Today’s sleek, simple anti-It Bags, on the other hand, telegraph a less meretricious sort of chic.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, WSJ, 7 Jan. 2023
Zoe Guy, Vulture, 1 July 2024
But as a character study, with Holocaust themes deepening the stakes of the domestic turmoil, the play holds up extremely well in its critique of a world that has lost its capacity for silence and that is prepared to sacrifice literature for meretricious distraction.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
The heads of banks, corporations, universities, law firms, foundations, and media companies were neither more nor less venal, meretricious, and greedy than their counterparts today.
—George Packer, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2011
The bullying tactics being used to sell this boondoggle are underhanded and meretricious.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024
These shows raised the bar for musical drama and proved to Broadway that meretricious soullessness isn’t the only way.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023
You’re left with a feeling of overwhelming perversity, of a kind of meretricious, insane God out there playing games.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2023
By condescending to the twins’ evident lack of cultural exposure, the media compound a circumstance that suggests remote parental influence — and dereliction of our rapaciously indifferent consumer culture that sells only what is new and meretricious.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 Aug. 2020
Today’s sleek, simple anti-It Bags, on the other hand, telegraph a less meretricious sort of chic.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, WSJ, 7 Jan. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meretricious
Adjective
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With this in mind, the software ensures that the drone does not pick somewhere too conspicuous.David Hambling, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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There was one conspicuous absence: Calvino’s own country.Christopher Tayler, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Parker Solar Probe's ability to thrive in the hostile environment around the Sun is a tribute to the team that designed and built this remarkable spacecraft.Stephen Smith, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2025
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Seeing Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in action is a remarkable study in contrasts.Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Southern Shrimp Pasta Salad Recipe The Inspiration For This Pasta Salad This brilliant recipe is all thanks to our Senior Lifestyle Editor, Ivy Odom.Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
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Close emphasizes this lesson every season, marveling in its brilliant simplicity.Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Viewers were able to see the smaller canine, the puppy, target the nonchalant golden retriever with a few loud barks, before the Saint Bernard arrived to interrupt the unwanted interaction.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
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There’s nothing worse than getting out into the wilderness, away from society, and then hearing somebody one campsite over start up a loud, smelly gas generator.Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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And perhaps the most noticeable change: BMW eliminated the traditional gauge cluster in the dash in favor of a customizable digital version projected onto the windshield.Abigail Bassett, The Verge, 7 Jan. 2025
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Erivo has long been synonymous with her nails—but her manicures were especially noticeable while promoting Wicked.Robyn Merrett, StyleCaster, 5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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That would add another dramatic twist to a story that is full of surprises.John Brandon, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
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Yet on Friday, Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan president who has overseen his country’s dramatic decline — including runaway inflation, blackouts, hunger, mass migration and the unraveling of the nation’s democracy — was sworn in for a third term in office.Julie Turkewitz, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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His striking home was perched above the boulevard, its wood and glass cantilevered over a concrete base.Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
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Yet his 19th century call for pausing mechanical progress bears a striking resemblance to recent open letters and policy proposals about AI safety.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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An outstanding spirit with a wonderfully rounded and smooth palate and a spicy crescendo.Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
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Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite Jayden Daniels had an outstanding season and could be efficient enough to cause huge problems for the Bucs.Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to meretricious
Thesaurus Entries Near meretricious
Cite this Entry
“Meretricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meretricious. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.
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