kabuki
8.8
Showy in a way that does not seem honest
- adjective
- /kəˈbuːki/
- Literature
:
teatral
- The politician's kabuki speech was filled with grand gestures but lacked any real substance.
Examples
-
Her kabuki behavior during the meeting made it clear that she was more focused on appearances than making real progress.
-
The event was criticized for its kabuki-like performance, with everyone pretending to care but showing no genuine interest.
-
Then, from out of nowhere, riding on a stuffed, decorative, endangered sea turtle, came a crumbling mummy dressed in bright, kabuki colors.
Fiction book (2002)
Synonyms
stagey
vskabuki
1
8.7
Not natural and overly dramatic, like acting in a play
is mainly used in political or public life rather than in general situations
stagy
vskabuki
1
8.1
Being too dramatic and not natural, like acting on a stage
is mainly used in political or public life rather than in general situations
Compounds
How Theatrical
Surface Forms
kabuki positive
Etymology
Used as an adjective, kabuki comes from the same theatre word and means 'showy' or 'theatrical', like a performance rather than a real feeling or plan. That's why calling something 'kabuki' says it looks like a staged act, not a sincere one.