Dictionary

showy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈʃoʊ.i/ (General-American)
• /ˈʃəʊ.i/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From show (noun) + -y.

Meanings

1. (derogatory, sometimes) Calling attention; flashy; standing out to the eye.
2. Making a striking or aesthetically pleasing display.
   • showy flowers
3. (informal, of a literary work) Inclined to showing (by conveying an impression so that events are described in the narrative), instead of telling (by explicitly stating facts).
   • The ending felt rushed to me, and I wish it would have been more showy and less telly. 2024 July 1, pinkjamie, “Well...”, in BookishFirst, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2024:
   • I think my problem with it is that it's a) a little "telly" not "showy" in comparison to the rest […] 1999 November 21, sophie, “Squealer : first revision”, in alt.arts.poetry.comments (Usenet):
   • Six of Crows is very telly and little showy. You are constantly getting info dumps and mini-flashbacks to the characters past. 2016 February 12, Kelly, “Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo”, in Diva Booknerd, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2024:
   • There's a way to make this more showy and less telly. It's like you're in a hurry to get on with the rest of the story. 2003 September 19, Patrick Null, “Failed Sept Challenge? (1409 words)”, in alt.fiction.original (Usenet):
   • story is too, too telly; need at least 3 showy scenes to improve showing:telling ratio 2009 May 18, @kimmcgowan, Twitter, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2024:

Forms

Deriveds

unshowy · showy mistletoe · showiness · showy orchis · showy goatsbeard · nonshowy · showily · showy sundew

Hyponyms

slutty

Synonyms

gaudy

Translations (48)

fi näyttävä (for show) · de auffällig (making a striking or aesthetically pleasing display) · pt mirabolante (for show) · ru эффе́ктный (for show) · ru пёстрый (for show) · ga péacach (making a striking or aesthetically pleasing display) · cs nápadný (for show) · es vistoso (making a striking or aesthetically pleasing display) · tl hambog (for show) · fr tape-à-l’œil (for show) · pl na pokaz (for show) · es jactancioso (for show) · ru на пока́з (for show) · es fardón (for show) · fa خودنما (for show) · mk све́тол (for show) · gl ostentoso (for show) · ja けばけばしい (for show) · de auffällig (for show) · ga éagsúil (for show) · mk впе́чатлив (for show) · de prächtig (making a striking or aesthetically pleasing display) · ga taibhseach (for show) · nl opzichtig (for show) · de schreiend (for show) · ru безвку́сный (for show) · bg ефектен (for show) · ja 派手な (for show) · fi pramea (for show) · es aparatoso (for show) · es de relumbrón (for show) · mk јарк (for show) · ru крича́щий (for show) · de protzig (for show) · cmn 繁华 (for show) · mk е́фектен (for show) · mk бе́звкусен (for show) · de grell (for show) · tl mapagyabang (for show) · mk дре́члив (for show) · ru показно́й (for show) · bg показен (for show) · ru я́ркий (for show) · ru впечатля́ющий (for show) · ru напы́щенный (for show) · cmn 浮華 /浮华 (for show) · es ostentoso (for show) · pt exibido (for show)