flashy
Americanadjective
-
sparkling or brilliant, especially in a superficial way or for the moment.
a flashy performance.
-
ostentatiously or vulgarly smart; showy; gaudy.
flashy clothes.
adjective
-
brilliant and dazzling, esp for a short time or in a superficial way
-
cheap and ostentatious
Related Words
See gaudy 1.
Other Word Forms
- flashily adverb
- flashiness noun
- unflashy adjective
Etymology
Origin of flashy
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.
“Young investors tend to own stocks in flashy sectors and industries like technology,” he says.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
Maybe Roher believes this is what our increasingly gullible, truth-challenged citizenry needs from an explanatory doc: a flashy, kindhearted reminder that we’re the change we need to be.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
Bellarmine and his older brother Robert Jr have made headlines over the years for their flashy lifestyles in the face of rising poverty in Zimbabwe.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
In “The Unknown,” he portrays not only Elliott but all the people he interacts with, and differentiates them crisply with convincing accents but without costume changes or flashy mannerisms.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026
Some scythes—mostly the old-guard ones—arrived on foot, choosing a humble walk from their hotels over a more flashy arrival.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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.
