flashy
Americanadjective
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sparkling or brilliant, especially in a superficial way or for the moment.
a flashy performance.
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ostentatiously or vulgarly smart; showy; gaudy.
flashy clothes.
adjective
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brilliant and dazzling, esp for a short time or in a superficial way
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cheap and ostentatious
Synonym Usage
See gaudy 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of flashy
Explanation
To be flashy is to be showy in a tasteless way. Just like a flash of light is hard to ignore, flashy behavior draws attention. Do you know anyone who is a show-off? That person is probably flashy. Wearing brightly colored rings is flashy. Buying a sports car is flashy. Boasting about how much money you have is flashy. Flashy behavior is the opposite of classy: it consists of showing off things in a loud, obnoxious way.
Vocabulary lists containing flashy
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Long Way Down
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Because of Mr. Terupt
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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.
Algorithms, after all, give these priests an incentive to be flashy and address controversies.
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
As wearables became part of everyday life, it’s no surprise that they stopped being as flashy, or big, as they used to be.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
Yes, active ETFs with high expenses and flashy strategies are attracting much of the attention—and traditional, low-cost, well-diversified ETFs continue to form the core of most investors’ portfolios.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
The deals I gravitate toward most are rarely flashy.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
I loved the mall, so sleek and flashy, filled with shoppers and treasures.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
