tawdry
24
7.8
- adjective
- /ˈtɔːdri/
:
de mal gusto
- Anyone who cares about democratic government must be outraged at these tawdry machinations by treacherous Republican apparatchiks.
They pass with the moment of effect and are shabby and tawdry in the daylight.
- They pass with the moment of effect and are shabby and tawdry in the daylight.
- Or, you know, try to make a buck in order to enjoy all sorts of pleasures, but do so in tawdry and disgusting ways.
- Maybe you need the chorus there, right, even though they're misunderstanding things, trying to, you know, reduce things to a tawdry level.
Examples
-
Those poor lads, engaged in a cheap and tawdry feud with no one to guide them.
-
The other princes roared with disdainful laughter when they saw the tawdry gift the fifth prince had brought to the princess.
Fiction book (2000) -
-The whole thing is tawdry, I know.
-
"Material" is, in the best of hands, a tawdry word.
Academic text (2007) -
Something a little less tawdry.
-
When we brought Isaac home two weeks later, the house immediately seemed tawdry to me.
Fiction book (1997) -
"It's all so tawdry and stupid," Den said, handing me the drink and sitting down across from me.
Fiction book (1992) -
The mannequins are dressed in inexpensive, almost tawdry clothes and have a pathetic appearance.
Fiction book (1990) -
In the rainy evening gloom, the cafe looked tawdry and cheerless despite the lights glowing inside.
Fiction book (1998) -
The decorations for the party were tawdry, with bright colors that clashed horribly.
Synonyms
69
4.1
Very bright or showy in a way that attracts attention
68
4.3
Showy in a cheap way that looks bad
56
4.6
Feels too sentimental and silly, like a movie or card
51
1.8
Too bright and showy in a way that looks bad
39
5.6
Very showy with bright colors or too many decorations
37
3.7
Cheap and low quality that looks ugly or not stylish
22
5.5
Very bright and showy in a way that looks bad
18
3.9
Showing bad style or manners that offend people
16
6.7
Very bright and showy in a way that hurts the eyes
13
4.8
A bright, showy look that tries to impress people
8
8.2
Too sentimental or brightly decorated and not in good taste
5
7.2
Bold and showy in a way people may find rude
3
7.4
Showy in a way meant to attract attention
2
9.9
Not stylish and looking cheap or embarrassing
1
9.1
A thing that is cheap and badly made and shows little taste
1
9.9
Attractive in a bright, showy way but not honest or valuable
1
6.9
A style that is too bright or cheap and looks unpleasant
Showy and cheap in a way that looks low quality
Showy but cheaply made and worth little
Bright and loud in a cheap, circus-like way
Not fashionable and showing bad taste
Antonyms
How Tasteful
Surface Forms
Etymology
Tawdry comes from the name St. Audrey and the phrase St. Audrey's lace, because long ago people sold cheap lace and small jewelry at a fair for 'St. Audrey'. That's why tawdry now means something that looks 'showy' but is 'cheap' or low quality.