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
-
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:
"The discoveries from the excavations, especially coins bearing Homer's likeness, show us that the inhabitants of ancient Smyrna considered the poet to be one of their own," archaeologist Mehmet Akif Erdem said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
Burger King has reclaimed the No. 2 spot among U.S. burger chains, bumping aside Wendy’s in terms of U.S. sales over the 12 months ended June 30, company filings show.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Videos on social media show cars submerged in Geoje as strong currents swept the streets.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Did Premier League champions Arsenal show just how far ahead of Manchester City they are with their dominant Community Shield win?
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Archbishop Spellman has a medal for Joey too—the eponymous Spellman Medal, given to those who show great “Christian fortitude and concern for fellow sufferers.”
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
For the researcher Altin, there are clues in Homer's writing that he says shows the poet came from the area.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
Though Meta is the builder, neither Hyperion nor the $27 billion in debt that’s financing its construction shows up on Meta’s balance sheet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
"I'm proud of her. She took a stand to keep away the remarks, the critics," said Brian, a French fan attending the first of several shows.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The fact that the fossils had been collected decades earlier shows how much scientific information can remain hidden in museum collections.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
“So these loops are elevation lines. A topo map shows the contours of the land, from the highest mountain peak to the lowest valley. Think of it as 3D on a 2D piece of paper.”
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
"We're left with the memories," she told AFP as she showed a picture of herself with her sister and other relatives.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
The Gunners were also able to call on the likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Viktor Gyokeres from the substitutes' bench, as they showed off their serious strength in depth.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Photos showed 49 gold bars laid out on a table at the construction site and hundreds of gold coins collected in the builders’ bucket.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
The EIA showed a surprise — and major — build in U.S. commercial inventories of oil, thanks to fewer crude exports and a jump in imports, mostly from Venezuela.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
I had helped to make an igloo at school, so I showed her how to cut the blocks.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
In the final moments of the first episode of “Lanterns,” Hal Jordan is shown in an unexpected light.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Scientific studies have shown that approaching or touching a shark leads to high levels of hormones called glucocorticoids.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Both brothers have shown a knack for attracting older titans as friends and mentors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Fans have shown up waving Trans Pride flags.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
It was a little clearer than the Polaroid he’d shown before.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
"I knew Homer was from these lands, but I didn't know he was specifically from Izmir. We are incredibly lucky," said teacher Safak Tosun outside one of the city's cinemas where the film is showing.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
Our friend Arthur Laffer recently ran updated calculations showing how high the cost can be, assuming an asset is held for five years and earns a 5% inflation-adjusted annual return.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
However, it was refused on the grounds documents showing he met the grounds for residency were not submitted.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Each week, I’d search online for videos showing Greybeard’s journey, a pep in his step or the grueling grind across the miles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Bork rubbed Nothing on the neck and smiled, showing yellow pointy teeth.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
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.
