meretricious
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Shakespeare in Love” kidnapped its subject to force him into a flimsy and meretricious romcom; “Hamnet” reduces the concept of tragedy to actors being extremely sad.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025
These shows raised the bar for musical drama and proved to Broadway that meretricious soullessness isn’t the only way.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2023
The economic crash of 1929 descended on America like an ice age, ending a meretricious prosperity.
From Salon • Nov. 4, 2023
Fox could argue, plausibly if uncomfortably, that some of its performers are entertainers lacking aptitudes, motives or incentives for making journalistic judgments about meretricious statements uttered on their programs.
From Washington Post • Jan. 11, 2023
The invention of the sewing machine was the signal for the appearance of frills and furbelows, and meretricious ornament of every kind.
From The Evolution of Fashion by Gardiner, Florence Mary
Vocabulary lists containing meretricious
The Great Gatsby
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Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"
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"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
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