show business

American  

noun

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

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show business British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of show business

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

“It’s the thing in show business, I’ve found, that winds me up in a bad way the least.”

From Los Angeles Times

Hollywood types often strike a snarky and condescending tone when they peer down the ladder at the low rungs of show business—an excellent example is the 2017 comedy “The Disaster Artist.”

From The Wall Street Journal

As much as the film is a portrait of Brooks, it also reflects Reiner’s own unique position as someone who knew show business and its ups and downs with a rare intimacy.

From Los Angeles Times

There is, of course, show business, an industry that values make-believe and vanity and couldn’t possibly exist anywhere else.

From Los Angeles Times

Mel Brooks is the reason why so many of us went into comedy, is why young Jewish boys thought it was possible to get into show business.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• entertainment industry
• movie industry
• show biz