meretricious

American  

[mer-i-trish-uhs] / ˌmɛr ɪˈtrɪʃ əs /

adjective

1. alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry.

   Synonyms:

   gaudy, showy

2. based on pretense, deception, or insincerity.

   Synonyms:

   false, sham, spurious

3. Archaic. relating to or characteristic of a prostitute.

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meretricious British  

/ ˌmɛrɪˈtrɪʃəs /

adjective

1. superficially or garishly attractive

2. insincere

   meretricious praise

3. archaic of, like, or relating to a prostitute

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Other Word Forms

• meretriciously adverb
• meretriciousness noun
• unmeretricious adjective
• unmeretriciously adverb
• unmeretriciousness noun

Etymology

Origin of meretricious

First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin meretrīcius “of, pertaining to prostitutes,” derivative of meretrīx “prostitute,” equivalent to mere-, stem of merēre “to earn” + -trīx -trix; -ous

Explanation

Have you ever heard the phrase "fake it until you make it"? That is advice that encourages you to be meretricious, pretending to be something you aren't, like the meretricious flaunting of gigantic fake diamond earrings, pretending they are real — and that you can afford them. To correctly pronounce meretricious, accent the third syllable: "mer-uh-TRISH-us." Don't mistake something that is meretricious for having merit. In fact, it is just the opposite. From an expensive restaurant that looks expensively furnished but when the lights are turned up, you can see that "leather" chairs are just cheap vinyl or a woman who pretends her counterfeit handbags are designer originals, meretricious actions are meant to deceive.

Example Sentences

“Shakespeare in Love” kidnapped its subject to force him into a flimsy and meretricious romcom; “Hamnet” reduces the concept of tragedy to actors being extremely sad.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

The economic crash of 1929 descended on America like an ice age, ending a meretricious prosperity.

From Salon • Nov. 4, 2023

His work wasn’t a branch of publicity even as it sought to elevate the truly excellent from the meretricious.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2023

How do we convince people that they should reject the meretricious puffery they find inspiring?

From Washington Post • May 3, 2022

Goldoni and Chiari were his Euripides and Agathon; perverters of the good old comedy by vulgar realism, false pathos, and meretricious rhetoric.

From The Memoirs of Count Carlo Gozzi; Volume the First by Gozzi, Carlo