Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

fishbowl

American  
[fish-bohl] / ˈfɪʃˌboʊl /
Or fish bowl

noun

  1. a glass bowl for goldfish, snails, etc.

  2. a place, job, or condition in which one's activities are open to public view or scrutiny.


fishbowl British  
/ ˈfɪʃˌbəʊl /

noun

  1. another name for goldfish bowl

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fishbowl

First recorded in 1905–10; fish + bowl 1

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.

We see some guileless part of ourselves within him — a half-formed reflection in his goldfish Dorothy’s fishbowl.

From Salon • Feb. 3, 2024

"The fishbowl -- not the fish -- needs to change."

From Science Daily • Jan. 2, 2024

Inside a fishbowl, the goldfish — a species of carp native to East Asia, bred for aesthetic delight and traditionally believed to bring good fortune — is hardly more than home décor.

From New York Times • Dec. 8, 2023

The space is like a fishbowl, allowing people walking down North Camden Drive to see it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2023

He had tried to imagine it one time, had imagined a toad in a fishbowl.

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut