flashy

adjective

ˈfla-shē How to pronounce flashy (audio)
Definition of flashynext
1
as in stylish
attractively eye-catching in style I bought a flashy new car as soon as I got my first paycheck

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loud
excessively showy wore flashy rings on almost all the fingers of his left hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective flashy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of flashy are garish, gaudy, meretricious, and tawdry. While all these words mean "vulgarly or cheaply showy," flashy implies an effect of brilliance quickly and easily seen to be shallow or vulgar.

a flashy nightclub act

When can garish be used instead of flashy?

Although the words garish and flashy have much in common, garish describes what is distressingly or offensively bright.

garish neon signs

When is it sensible to use gaudy instead of flashy?

The meanings of gaudy and flashy largely overlap; however, gaudy implies a tasteless use of overly bright, often clashing colors or excessive ornamentation.

circus performers in gaudy costumes

When might meretricious be a better fit than flashy?

The synonyms meretricious and flashy are sometimes interchangeable, but meretricious stresses falsity and may describe a tawdry show that beckons with a false allure or promise.

a meretricious wasteland of casinos and bars

When would tawdry be a good substitute for flashy?

In some situations, the words tawdry and flashy are roughly equivalent. However, tawdry applies to what is at once gaudy and cheap and sleazy.

tawdry saloons

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of flashy In non-tech industries, the opportunity isn’t to build something flashy. —David Heacock, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026 For those seeking a flashier look, opt for one of these gold watches. —John Monaco, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026 Still, Wildcoat hosted a demo event at Eldora weeks ago where 500 people took a lap in the flashy ware. —Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026 The performance continued into a flashy sequence, complete with colorful snowboards and neon lights. —Andrew Greif, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flashy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flashy
  1. stylish
  2. loud
  3. snazzy
  4. noisy
  5. fashionable
  6. gaudy
  7. splashy
  8. glitzy
Adjective
  • The colorful, detailed drawings span the full cover, quite different from Elizabeth’s minimalistic but stylish approach.
    — Jess deCourcy Hinds February 13, Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
  • However, the English Garden has a remarkably roomy and stylish interior that feels more like an apartment than a traditional tiny house.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of stylish
Adjective
  • Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel already established a Gothic world in which the trauma is as loud as the wind on the moors, and Emerald Fennell’s adaptation excises major portions of the book to streamline that atmospheric darkness and ultimate tragedy.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Konstantin, 4, a sociable boy, is often frightened by loud noises and guards, his parents said.
    — Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of loud
Adjective
  • Still, among your eclectic array of potential prospects, someone is also drawn to your originality and your snazzy ideas.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
  • That's right, Marathon is back and looking snazzier than before.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Definition of snazzy
Adjective
  • Closer to beach and mountain weekends, and to big, noisy holiday gatherings, and to raising children who got to see their grandparents all the time.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The album’s best moments come when Joji deploys the noisy, aggressive production favored by morose rappers like fakemink, Bladee, and Playboi Carti.
    — Mehan Jayasuriya, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of noisy
Adjective
  • Long before land conservation became fashionable among billionaires, Ted Turner was buying ranchland with ecological ambition.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Women were very fashionable in Cairo and never dared go out in raggedy clothes.
    — Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of fashionable
Adjective
  • Darnold’s stats weren’t gaudy, but his steady, mistake-free performance was what the Seahawks needed on a night Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III totaled 161 scrimmage yards and Seattle’s defense dominated.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Some are diamond-studded and gaudy.
    — Chris Morris, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of gaudy
Adjective
  • Wonder, founded by billionaire Marc Lore, has owned the delivery service for about a year, one of many splashy acquisitions made by the delivery and takeout concept.
    — Sarah Whitten,Sara Salinas,Sarah Jackson,Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Yet Holland has begun to put his own stamp on the organization, doing right by Danault at the holiday trade freeze while maximizing return for him and now acquiring Panarin, the splashiest in-season addition the Kings have made in at least a dozen years.
    — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of splashy
Adjective
  • Red Sea resorts in Saudi Arabia can cost thousands of dollars a night, Oman has built remote glamping mountain lodges, and the UAE is expanding its glitzy offering, all chasing the world’s highest spenders.
    — Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The spot used very little in the way of glitzy production, instead giving viewers what looked like a karaoke screen in a bar, and spurred them to sing along to a Backstreet Boys song.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of glitzy

Browse Nearby Words

flash points
flashy
flask
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flashy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flashy. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on flashy

Nglish: Translation of flashy for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

What does 'etcetera' mean?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?

Why Is the Letter ‘Z’ Associated With Sleeping?

The Words of the Week - Feb. 13

Why do we call it 'ides of March'?
See More

Popular

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All