show
Americanverb (used with object)
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shows,
present (3rd person singular)
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showed,
past participle, past
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shown,
past participle
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showing
present participle
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to cause or allow to be seen; exhibit; display.
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to present or perform as a public entertainment or spectacle.
to show a movie.
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to indicate; point out.
to show the way.
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to guide, escort, or usher.
He showed me to my room. Show her in.
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to explain or make clear; make known.
He showed what he meant.
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to make known to; inform, instruct, or prove to.
I'll show you what I mean.
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to prove; demonstrate.
His experiment showed the falsity of the theory.
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to indicate, register, or mark.
The thermometer showed 10 below zero.
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to exhibit or offer for sale.
to show a house.
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to allege, as in a legal document; plead, as a reason or cause.
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to produce, as facts in an affidavit or at a hearing.
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to express or make evident by appearance, behavior, speech, etc..
to show one's feelings.
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to accord or grant (favor, kindness, etc.).
He showed mercy in his decision.
verb (used without object)
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shows,
present (3rd person singular)
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showed,
past participle, past
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shown,
past participle
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showing
present participle
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to be seen; be or become visible.
Does my slip show?
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to be seen in a certain way.
to show to advantage.
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to put on an exhibition or performance; display one's goods or products.
Several dress designers are showing in New York now.
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Informal. to be present or keep an appointment; show up.
He said he would be there, but he didn't show.
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to finish third in a horse race, harness race, etc.
noun
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shows
plural
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a theatrical production, performance, or company.
We’d like to catch a Broadway show while we’re in the city!
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a radio or television program.
The show is on Tuesdays at 8:00.
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a movie.
Grab a popcorn and a drink before the show starts.
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an exposition for dealers or the public of products by various manufacturers in a particular industry, usually held in an exhibition hall, convention facility, or the like.
the annual boat show.
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any kind of public exhibition or exposition.
a show of Renoirs.
- Synonyms:
- spectacle
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ostentatious display.
nothing but mere show.
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a display, exhibition, or demonstration.
a true show of freedom.
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an indication; trace.
He frowned on the slightest show of emotion.
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the position of the competitor who comes in third in a horse race, harness race, etc.
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appearance; impression.
to make a sorry show.
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a sight or spectacle.
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an unreal or deceptive appearance.
The actress's tears had the show of grief.
- Synonyms:
- illusion, simulation, pretense, deception
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an act or instance of showing.
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Informal. a chance.
to get a fair show.
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Medicine/Medical.
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the first appearance of blood at the onset of menstruation.
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a blood-tinged mucous discharge from the vagina that indicates the onset of labor.
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Chiefly British Informal. any undertaking, group of persons, event, etc.; affair; thing.
verb phrase
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show off
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to display ostentatiously.
The parade was designed to show off all the latest weapons of war.
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to seek to gain attention by displaying prominently one's abilities or accomplishments.
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show up
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to make known, as faults; expose; reveal.
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to exhibit in a certain way; appear.
White shows up well against a blue background.
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to come to or arrive at a place.
We waited for two hours, but he didn't show up.
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to make (another) seem inferior; outdo.
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idioms
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steal the show,
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to get the most attention, applause, or credit for something: I did all the work, but my partner stole the show.
No doubt the three stars are all very talented, but the little boy stole the show.
I did all the work, but my partner stole the show.
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to be the most pleasing or spectacular item or person in a group.
The entrées at this restaurant are always good, but expect dessert to steal the show!
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stop the show, to win such enthusiastic applause that a theatrical performance is temporarily interrupted.
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run the show, to control a business, situation, etc.; be in charge.
My father runs the show in our house.
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make a show of, to be ostentatious about; affect.
Whenever there are visitors, the bosses make a show of being nice to their employees.
verb
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to make, be, or become visible or noticeable
to show one's dislike
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(tr) to present to view; exhibit
he showed me a picture
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(tr) to indicate or explain; prove
to show that the earth moves round the sun
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(tr) to exhibit or present (oneself or itself) in a specific character
to show oneself to be trustworthy
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(tr; foll by how and an infinitive) to instruct by demonstration
show me how to swim
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(tr) to indicate or register
a barometer shows changes in the weather
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(tr) to grant or bestow
to show favour to someone
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(intr) to appear
to show to advantage
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to exhibit, display, or offer (goods, etc) for sale
three artists were showing at the gallery
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(tr) to allege, as in a legal document
to show cause
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to present (a play, film, etc) or (of a play, etc) to be presented, as at a theatre or cinema
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(tr) to guide or escort
please show me to my room
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to conduct a person into a room or building by opening the door for him
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to conduct a person out of a room or building by opening the door for him
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(intr) to win a place in a horse race, etc
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to give a performance of riding and handling (a horse) to display its best points
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informal (intr) to put in an appearance; arrive
noun
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a display or exhibition
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a public spectacle
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an ostentatious or pretentious display
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a theatrical or other entertainment
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a trace or indication
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obstetrics a discharge of blood at the onset of labour
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informal a chance; opportunity (esp in the phrases give someone a show, he's got no show of winning, etc)
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a sporting event consisting of contests in which riders perform different exercises to show their skill and their horses' ability and breeding
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slang a thing or affair (esp in the phrases good show, bad show, etc)
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mining a slight indication of the presence of gold
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a display of farm animals, with associated competitions
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in order to attract attention
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informal to take charge of or manage an affair, business, etc
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to draw the most attention or admiration, esp unexpectedly
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informal
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(of a stage act, etc) to receive so much applause as to interrupt the performance
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to be received with great enthusiasm
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Usage
What are other ways to say show?
The noun show refers to any type of display, exhibition, or demonstration. How does it compare to display, ostentation, and pomp? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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supershownoun
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reshowverb
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outshowverb (used with object)
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preshowadjective
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showableadjective
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showlessadjective
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unshowableadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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showsimple
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showssimple
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have showedperfect
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have shownperfect
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has showedperfect
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has shownperfect
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am showingprogressive
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are showingprogressive
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is showingprogressive
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have been showingperfect progressive
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has been showingperfect progressive
Past
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showedsimple
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had showedperfect
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had shownperfect
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was showingprogressive
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were showingprogressive
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had been showingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of show
First recorded before 900; (verb) Middle English showen, s(c)hewen “to look at, show,” Old English scēawian “to look at”; cognate with Dutch schowen, German schauen; (noun) Middle English s(c)hew(e), derivative of the verb
Explanation
Remember show and tell? To show something is to display something, to share it, or to put on a little show about it. Show is a word with many meanings, but they're closely related. There are TV and radio shows, and a play is also a show. In those cases, shows are types of entertainment. You can also say, "Let me show you something." You can show by pointing at something, but showing can also mean proving something. A lawyer needs to show why his client is innocent. People who can't stop showing things are called show-offs.
Vocabulary lists containing show
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.
See Examples For:
Brady says the findings nevertheless show why clinicians should follow recommended measurement procedures more carefully.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
Navigate the early stages of the show in our quiz to find out.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Oil traders will also be looking for the EIA’s weekly report, which analysts expect will show decreased inventories for U.S. crude oil and distillates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
And I hit that stage, and the elements that make a show magical for me is authenticity, not being in your head.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Any remaining trace of excitement for the show had been tainted by my lunch with Anna May.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Their work shows that insects previously classified as just two species actually represent five separate species.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
Meanwhile, competition in the local taxi market shows no signs of easing, with Alphabet’s Waymo set to launch driverless ridehailing services in the city-state from 2028, the analyst adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
At Fidel Castro’s childhood home, a local historian shows a family photo with the bearded Castro in attendance at his sister’s wedding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Russia was invaded by the Nazis in World War Two, and the country's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman was among who criticised the planned shows.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
I click on the guide button and, sure enough, a bunch of boxes with different television shows inside appear..
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Women showed their sharpest rise between ages 40 and 60, a period that broadly overlaps with the menopausal transition.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
While the second half in Slovenia showed Pocognoli's system can be exciting, it remains unclear if it best suits this Scotland squad?
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
But in that year, the supplemental poverty measure, or SPM, indicated that elder poverty was at 10.6%, while the more accurate measure using tax records showed that poverty was only at 6.1%, Biggs said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
The dollar rose to a near 18-month high against a basket of currencies after data showed U.S. job cuts fell in September.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
A quick glance down showed me that I was wearing fitted brown pants with high kneesocks and a white button-up shirt.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
But the court also noted that Song had admitted to the charges and shown remorse.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Conceived and organized by Katherine Jentleson at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art and first shown there, the survey appears now at the Whitney, where curator Barbara Haskell’s installation is on view through Jan. 10, 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
They’ve shown their boys a path to success but each must find their own way, though having a doctor in the family while playing football is pretty neat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
"Unlike many large adult male bears, Backpack hasn't shown much aggression toward his competitors," his contestant profile says.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
Studying the brain scans of these Phineas-like patients, the Damasios wonder what a brain scan of Phineas Gage himself would have shown.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Journalist Reitman connects lives of nine Americans over three decades, vividly showing how ideals can give way to fear.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
After giving flowers to the cast and thanking the audience for showing up, Glyman delivered a line that earned him ample cheers far beyond the rows of yellow-lanyard–sporting Ramp employees seated near me.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
S&P Global’s latest purchasing manager indexes on Thursday reiterated that narrative, showing sharp growth in overseas demand for tech-export powerhouses Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
That result fits with previous evidence showing that creatine primarily supports muscular strength and power rather than aerobic fitness.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
My anger at Anna May for not showing up for my fashion show had faded, overshadowed by the queasiness of guilt.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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.
