exhibit
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to offer or expose to view; present for inspection.
to exhibit the latest models of cars.
- Synonyms:
- demonstrate, show
-
to manifest or display.
to exhibit anger; to exhibit interest.
- Antonyms:
- conceal
-
to place on show.
to exhibit paintings.
-
to make manifest; explain.
-
Law. to submit (a document, object, etc.) in evidence in a court of law.
-
Medicine/Medical Obsolete. to administer (something) as a remedy.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
-
(also intr) to display (something) to the public for interest or instruction
this artist exhibits all over the world
-
to manifest; display; show
the child exhibited signs of distress
-
law to produce (a document or object) in court to serve as evidence
noun
-
an object or collection exhibited to the public
-
law a document or object produced in court and referred to or identified by a witness in giving evidence
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
exhibitantnoun
-
exhibiternoun
-
exhibitornoun
-
preexhibitnoun
-
reexhibitverb (used with object)
-
exhibitableadjective
-
exhibitoryadjective
-
self-exhibitedadjective
-
unexhibitableadjective
-
unexhibitedadjective
-
well-exhibitedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
exhibitsimple
-
exhibitssimple
-
have exhibitedperfect
-
has exhibitedperfect
-
am exhibitingprogressive
-
are exhibitingprogressive
-
is exhibitingprogressive
-
have been exhibitingperfect progressive
-
has been exhibitingperfect progressive
Past
-
exhibitedsimple
-
had exhibitedperfect
-
was exhibitingprogressive
-
were exhibitingprogressive
-
had been exhibitingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of exhibit
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English exhibiten “to show,” from Latin exhibitus, past participle of exhibēre, from ex- ex- 1 + -hibēre (combining form of habēre “to have”); cf. habit 1
Explanation
An exhibit is an item that is shown off for the public, such as a painting on display at a gallery or a historical document shown under glass at a museum. The main thing to remember about an exhibit is that it refers to something presented formally and in a public setting. For example, if you put an action figure on a side table in your apartment and your friends come by and notice it, well, it’s just an action figure on a side table. Put that same action figure on a pedestal in a fancy gallery, arrange it just so, and voilà! It’s an exhibit. People may even look it over and discuss its meaning in hushed tones. Students of law — or people who watch a lot of TV — will know that when used in a legal context, the word exhibit can also refer to an item presented as evidence in a legal court.
Vocabulary lists containing exhibit
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
ACT Vocabulary List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 10
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 result was her 2024 Roberts Projects exhibit, “Betye Saar: New Work,” an objet trouvé medley in bronze and gold hues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
The Body Worlds exhibit featured in a scene of the 2006 James Bond film "Casino Royale".
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
“The market is starting to exhibit the characteristics of an upcycle,” Le Peuch said on a call with analysts following results.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Camilla presented Her Majesty the Queen's Special Award for Upcycled Container Gardens to the bee-themed exhibit, which was designed and created by Ingoldisthorpe Church of England Primary School, close to Sandringham.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The last time he was lent for exhibit in 1998, he came back with a loosened tooth.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Throughout the day, they took breaks to visit interactive exhibits like a sound gallery and wall of optical illusions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Weeks before its opening in Los Angeles, the Lucas Museum will be on hand to share new details about its exhibits.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
But as we round the first corner, almost all of the exhibits are the work of amateurs, conscripted from civilian life and professionalized into name, rank and number.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Robinson's defence team objected repeatedly during the first two days of the preliminary hearing to video exhibits and different testimony on grounds including hearsay.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
The huge movie theaters, the museums, the concerts, the science exhibits.
From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen
Mexico is investigating whether the United States violated its sovereignty after the FBI this month exhibited the plane used to transport Zambada.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
Bonilla had shared time at third base with Beltre, who struggled as a rookie but exhibited the potential that resulted in a 21-year career and first-ballot Hall of Fame induction in 2024.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
First lady Eleanor Roosevelt exhibited laudable courage throughout her life, exemplified by her willingness to take public stands when it was politically dangerous.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
The resulting material exhibited strong luminescence, long-lived excited states, and highly effective energy transfer.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
“To imply the Cro-Magnon were lug heads is wrong. They exhibited a cranial capacity approximately sixteen hundred cubic centimeters larger than modern-day humans.’
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
However, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Adongo began exhibiting increasingly erratic behavior.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
In his book, he treats empathy in a largely colloquial sense, “as both a way of exhibiting sympathy towards someone, as well as a means of putting myself in your shoes.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
A bottom-up investment approach can uncover individual stocks exhibiting exceptional relative strength, identifying the names most likely to lead when the broader group regains momentum.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
The London scene was dominated by Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and the Young British Artists - brazenly exhibiting sharks in formaldehyde and making art out of unmade beds.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
“I’ll admit that this Frankenstein Complex you’re exhibiting has a certain justification—hence the First Law in the first place. But the Law, I repeat and repeat, has not been removed—merely modified.”
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
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.
