Meretricious
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˌmɛɹɪˈtɹɪʃəs/ · Part of speech adjective
Quick meaning: Meretricious is an adjective meaning Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring.
Meaning
Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring.
More Meanings
- (law) Involving unlawful sexual connection or lack of consent by at least one party (said of a romantic relationship).
- (obsolete) Of, or relating to prostitutes or prostitution.
Example Sentences
There is nothing showy or meretricious about the man.
Gloriani’s statues were florid and meretricious; they looked like magnified goldsmith’s work.
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.
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.
Synonyms for meretricious
Depending on context, synonyms include brassy, cheap, flashy, garish, gaudy, gimcrack.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include gimcrack, garish, gaudy, tawdry, flashy, insincere.
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Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.