Meretricious

/ˌmɛɹɪˈtɹɪʃəs/ · adjective

Meaning

Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring..

Definitions by Sense

1. Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring.
2. (law) Involving unlawful sexual connection or lack of consent by at least one party (said of a romantic relationship).
3. (obsolete) Of, or relating to prostitutes or prostitution.

Example Sentences

I discovered even, by his conversation, when intoxicated that his favourites were wantons of the lowest class, who could by their vulgar, indecent mirth, which he called nature, rouse his sluggish spirits. Meretricious ornaments and manners were necessary to attract his attention.

It might be reasonably objected elsewhere, that some of the tombs are meretricious and too fanciful; but the general brightness seems to justify it here; and Mount Vesuvius, separated from them by a lovely slope of ground, exalts and saddens the scene.

Gloriani’s statues were florid and meretricious; they looked like magnified goldsmith’s work.

There is nothing showy or meretricious about the man.

What is art beside love? I respect and applaud your indifference to fine poetry when you can contemplate the meretricious charms of this young person.

He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.

When I lifted my eyes from the page, there was none of the meretricious argument London always offers that the sole real purpose in life is to hustle for a buck.

Murrow's later death from lung cancer was both tragic and ironic, for during World War II Murrow had been an articulate opponent of meretricious balance in reporting.

Synonyms for meretricious

Antonyms for meretricious

Related Words

Word Forms

• more meretricious
• most meretricious

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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