as in terrible
marked by low quality and unbecoming appearance
We tolerate the neighbors' tawdry Christmas display during the holidays, but by January we're about sick of it.
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Dissimilar Words
as in trumpery
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tawdry
Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Various tawdry plots are picked up and discarded as the story staggers onward.
—Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
The film was a hit on 42nd Street, possessing a certain tawdry entertainment value.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 June 2025
Born a modest gathering of kindred spirits, the festival hath blossomed into a celebration of the days of yore, where knights do clash, bards sing sweet airs, merchants display their wares most fine and wenches doth tease in tawdry jests.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tawdry
Noun
Then there’s the cup holder cover, a small detail, which is tawdry and lets the expensive-feeling cabin down a bit.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Various tawdry plots are picked up and discarded as the story staggers onward.
—Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
The film was a hit on 42nd Street, possessing a certain tawdry entertainment value.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 June 2025
Born a modest gathering of kindred spirits, the festival hath blossomed into a celebration of the days of yore, where knights do clash, bards sing sweet airs, merchants display their wares most fine and wenches doth tease in tawdry jests.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tawdry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tawdry
Adjective
-
Yes, there are so much terrible stuff online.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
-
But that obviously terrible call compromised the integrity of that game last night, and that's something the sport should be looking to avoid.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
What was the strategic benefit to the US of all this geopolitical trumpery?—
Peter Bergen,
CNN,
28 May 2022
-
So will the border continue to vanish in the face of nativist backlash and a trumpery, gimcrack wall?—
Felipe Fernández-Armesto,
WSJ,
25 June 2018
Adjective
-
The poll also found that 51% of respondents perceive the current state of the economy as poor, and 61% express a lack of confidence that the economy will improve next year.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Low User Adoption Due To Poor Onboarding The primary hurdle is often low user adoption due to poor onboarding and a steep learning curve.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, Jeremiah is miserable, has nowhere to live, and is trying to find meaning through meaningless flings.—
Olivia Petter,
Vogue,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The Arizona Cardinals and head coach Jonathan Gannon made life miserable for Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young and head coach Dave Canales, from start to finish, Sunday at State Farm Stadium.—
DIAMOND VENCES,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
None of the 95 rooms at this palatial property, which first opened in the 1860s, is the same, and the decor is an eccentric mishmash that combines every era since then, from Victorian fripperies to sinuously streamlined Art Nouveau.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
28 July 2025
-
In tonight’s episode, Aurora has more to worry about than mere frippery.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
There is little that has gone right for Tanner Scott this week, the most miserable one in what has been a rotten year in the first season as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ $72 million closer.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Due to lawn mower paths, yard football routes my sons had run, and a few rotten tree roots, dips and low spots had developed over time in our yard.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Senior royals and esteemed guests donned their white-tie finery—and their tiaras—for a night celebrating the diplomatic ties between the two countries.—
Isaac Bickerstaff,
Glamour,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Crowds gathered at sunrise for the Dawn Patrol load-in then changed into their finery to take in the sights on the lawn during the day.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Here, the median sale price of a home is about $137,000—one of the cheapest price tags in the country.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Health insurers plan to raise rates, pointing to rising health care costs, tariffs on prescription drugs and medical device imports, and the possible expiration of premium tax credits instituted during former President Joe Biden's administration that made plans cheaper.—
Sarah Volpenhein,
jsonline.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tawdry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tawdry. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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