garish

adjective

gar·​ish ˈger-ish How to pronounce garish (audio)
1
: clothed in vivid colors
a garish clown
2
a
: excessively or disturbingly vivid
garish colors
garish imagery
b
: offensively or distressingly bright : glaring
3
: tastelessly showy : flashy
garish neon signs
garishly adverb
garishness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for garish

gaudy, tawdry, garish, flashy, meretricious mean vulgarly or cheaply showy.

gaudy implies a tasteless use of overly bright, often clashing colors or excessive ornamentation.

circus performers in gaudy costumes

tawdry applies to what is at once gaudy and cheap and sleazy.

tawdry saloons

garish describes what is distressingly or offensively bright.

garish neon signs

flashy implies an effect of brilliance quickly and easily seen to be shallow or vulgar.

a flashy nightclub act

meretricious stresses falsity and may describe a tawdry show that beckons with a false allure or promise.

a meretricious wasteland of casinos and bars

Examples of garish in a Sentence

the wedding guest's thick makeup was garish and unnecessary
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trend forecasters have been touting the boom-boom aesthetic of shoulder pads and power suits and garish displays of excess while Donald Trump, ’80s tabloid fixture turned actual president, is back in the office. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 6 May 2025 In an online space dominated by advertisements and garish displays of wealth, content that encourages users not to buy anything new can be both empowering and, in Dean’s words, kind of radical. Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025 That team was as garish and chaotic as any other Mets squad, albeit much more talented than most. Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 5 May 2025 Most paper traps are a bright shade of yellow, especially garish against a more neutral background. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for garish

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of garish was in 1545

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Garish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/garish. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

garish

adjective
gar·​ish ˈga(ə)r-ish How to pronounce garish (audio)
ˈge(ə)r-
: too bright or showy : gaudy
garishly adverb
garishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on garish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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