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Synonyms

show business

American  

noun

  1. the entertainment industry, as theater, motion pictures, television, radio, carnival, and circus.


show business British  

noun

  1. Informal term: show biz.  the entertainment industry, including theatre, films, television, and radio

"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 show business

First recorded in 1925–30

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:

"Sometimes people say athletes are in show business or entertainers or whatever," Osaka said.

From BBC May 26, 2026

In the epigraph to one of her chapters, Ms. Footer quotes Sammy Davis Jr.: “Part of show business is magic. You don’t know how it happens.”

From The Wall Street Journal May 20, 2026

“Submissions to the U.S. government consultation processes show business essentially wants a single agreement,” McAdoo adds.

From Barron's Apr. 23, 2026

“What Sidhu Moose Wala was doing was feeling the pain of his people and bringing it into the show business format.”

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 21, 2026

Black minstrelsy was the first large-scale opportunity for African Americans to enter show business.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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