show
Americanverb (used with object)
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shows,
present (3rd person singular)
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showed,
past participle, past
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shown,
past participle
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showing
present participle
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to cause or allow to be seen; exhibit; display.
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to present or perform as a public entertainment or spectacle.
to show a movie.
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to indicate; point out.
to show the way.
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to guide, escort, or usher.
He showed me to my room. Show her in.
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to explain or make clear; make known.
He showed what he meant.
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to make known to; inform, instruct, or prove to.
I'll show you what I mean.
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to prove; demonstrate.
His experiment showed the falsity of the theory.
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to indicate, register, or mark.
The thermometer showed 10 below zero.
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to exhibit or offer for sale.
to show a house.
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to allege, as in a legal document; plead, as a reason or cause.
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to produce, as facts in an affidavit or at a hearing.
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to express or make evident by appearance, behavior, speech, etc..
to show one's feelings.
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to accord or grant (favor, kindness, etc.).
He showed mercy in his decision.
verb (used without object)
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shows,
present (3rd person singular)
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showed,
past participle, past
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shown,
past participle
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showing
present participle
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to be seen; be or become visible.
Does my slip show?
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to be seen in a certain way.
to show to advantage.
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to put on an exhibition or performance; display one's goods or products.
Several dress designers are showing in New York now.
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Informal. to be present or keep an appointment; show up.
He said he would be there, but he didn't show.
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to finish third in a horse race, harness race, etc.
noun
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shows
plural
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a theatrical production, performance, or company.
We’d like to catch a Broadway show while we’re in the city!
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a radio or television program.
The show is on Tuesdays at 8:00.
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a movie.
Grab a popcorn and a drink before the show starts.
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an exposition for dealers or the public of products by various manufacturers in a particular industry, usually held in an exhibition hall, convention facility, or the like.
the annual boat show.
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any kind of public exhibition or exposition.
a show of Renoirs.
- Synonyms:
- spectacle
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ostentatious display.
nothing but mere show.
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a display, exhibition, or demonstration.
a true show of freedom.
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an indication; trace.
He frowned on the slightest show of emotion.
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the position of the competitor who comes in third in a horse race, harness race, etc.
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appearance; impression.
to make a sorry show.
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a sight or spectacle.
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an unreal or deceptive appearance.
The actress's tears had the show of grief.
- Synonyms:
- illusion, simulation, pretense, deception
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an act or instance of showing.
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Informal. a chance.
to get a fair show.
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Medicine/Medical.
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the first appearance of blood at the onset of menstruation.
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a blood-tinged mucous discharge from the vagina that indicates the onset of labor.
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Chiefly British Informal. any undertaking, group of persons, event, etc.; affair; thing.
verb phrase
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show off
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to display ostentatiously.
The parade was designed to show off all the latest weapons of war.
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to seek to gain attention by displaying prominently one's abilities or accomplishments.
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show up
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to make known, as faults; expose; reveal.
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to exhibit in a certain way; appear.
White shows up well against a blue background.
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to come to or arrive at a place.
We waited for two hours, but he didn't show up.
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to make (another) seem inferior; outdo.
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idioms
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steal the show,
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to get the most attention, applause, or credit for something: I did all the work, but my partner stole the show.
No doubt the three stars are all very talented, but the little boy stole the show.
I did all the work, but my partner stole the show.
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to be the most pleasing or spectacular item or person in a group.
The entrées at this restaurant are always good, but expect dessert to steal the show!
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stop the show, to win such enthusiastic applause that a theatrical performance is temporarily interrupted.
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run the show, to control a business, situation, etc.; be in charge.
My father runs the show in our house.
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make a show of, to be ostentatious about; affect.
Whenever there are visitors, the bosses make a show of being nice to their employees.
verb
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to make, be, or become visible or noticeable
to show one's dislike
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(tr) to present to view; exhibit
he showed me a picture
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(tr) to indicate or explain; prove
to show that the earth moves round the sun
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(tr) to exhibit or present (oneself or itself) in a specific character
to show oneself to be trustworthy
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(tr; foll by how and an infinitive) to instruct by demonstration
show me how to swim
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(tr) to indicate or register
a barometer shows changes in the weather
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(tr) to grant or bestow
to show favour to someone
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(intr) to appear
to show to advantage
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to exhibit, display, or offer (goods, etc) for sale
three artists were showing at the gallery
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(tr) to allege, as in a legal document
to show cause
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to present (a play, film, etc) or (of a play, etc) to be presented, as at a theatre or cinema
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(tr) to guide or escort
please show me to my room
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to conduct a person into a room or building by opening the door for him
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to conduct a person out of a room or building by opening the door for him
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(intr) to win a place in a horse race, etc
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to give a performance of riding and handling (a horse) to display its best points
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informal (intr) to put in an appearance; arrive
noun
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a display or exhibition
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a public spectacle
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an ostentatious or pretentious display
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a theatrical or other entertainment
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a trace or indication
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obstetrics a discharge of blood at the onset of labour
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informal a chance; opportunity (esp in the phrases give someone a show, he's got no show of winning, etc)
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a sporting event consisting of contests in which riders perform different exercises to show their skill and their horses' ability and breeding
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slang a thing or affair (esp in the phrases good show, bad show, etc)
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mining a slight indication of the presence of gold
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a display of farm animals, with associated competitions
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in order to attract attention
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informal to take charge of or manage an affair, business, etc
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to draw the most attention or admiration, esp unexpectedly
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informal
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(of a stage act, etc) to receive so much applause as to interrupt the performance
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to be received with great enthusiasm
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Usage
What are other ways to say show?
The noun show refers to any type of display, exhibition, or demonstration. How does it compare to display, ostentation, and pomp? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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supershownoun
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reshowverb
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outshowverb (used with object)
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preshowadjective
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showableadjective
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showlessadjective
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unshowableadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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showsimple
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showssimple
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have showedperfect
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have shownperfect
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has showedperfect
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has shownperfect
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am showingprogressive
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are showingprogressive
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is showingprogressive
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have been showingperfect progressive
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has been showingperfect progressive
Past
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showedsimple
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had showedperfect
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had shownperfect
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was showingprogressive
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were showingprogressive
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had been showingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of show
First recorded before 900; (verb) Middle English showen, s(c)hewen “to look at, show,” Old English scēawian “to look at”; cognate with Dutch schowen, German schauen; (noun) Middle English s(c)hew(e), derivative of the verb
Explanation
Remember show and tell? To show something is to display something, to share it, or to put on a little show about it. Show is a word with many meanings, but they're closely related. There are TV and radio shows, and a play is also a show. In those cases, shows are types of entertainment. You can also say, "Let me show you something." You can show by pointing at something, but showing can also mean proving something. A lawyer needs to show why his client is innocent. People who can't stop showing things are called show-offs.
Vocabulary lists containing show
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 academy’s show is installed in its newly renovated landmark building, a Victorian masterpiece designed by the architect Frank Furness of the noted firm Furness & Hewitt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
Some samples display conventional oscillations that are periodic in 1/B. Others show oscillations that are not periodic in 1/B. Still others produce signals that seem to have logarithmic periodicity in B.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026
Documents released to the BBC show how the network has grown year on year.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
The trailer for his new show, Meet the Owens, shows glimpses of what appears to be a happy home life with his wife and children.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Propped up by a wooden frame, edged with show lights, it read “Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In” in loopy neon.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
A traditional accessory that secured and decorated women’s clothing, it shows how, even amid trans-Atlantic exchange and the blending of cultures, the fascination with fantastical creatures endured.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
This disaster shows climate risks are international and cannot be managed by Nepal alone, suggests Manjeet Dhakal, a member of the country's climate delegation at the UN Climate Change Conference.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Kandace Redd, a AAA spokesperson, said the organization’s past research shows that consumers are most likely to drive less, combine errands and reduce shopping or dining out to cope with record pump prices.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
"Equal Earth preserves the relative surface areas of continents and, as much as possible, shows their shapes as they appear on a globe," one of the cartographers, Bojan Savric, told AFP in 2025.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
She shows me how to send a text message.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
The haze also drove air quality in Singapore's central region to an "unhealthy" level on Friday, the country's National Environment Agency data showed.
From Barron's ● Sep. 5, 2026
Friday’s report showed that the U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs in August.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Their results showed that bonnetheads in Biscayne Bay and Tampa Bay occupied distinct food webs and experienced dietary changes as they grew.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
Not long after, video footage showed the vehicle swerving erratically between lanes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
He showed off a slide he'd made of an extremely thin slice of cork.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
And as researchers work to build safeguards, AI has shown, in some scenarios, a willingness and capacity to subvert human authority.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
With the bout also being shown on free-to-air TV across Ireland, Taylor's farewell - which will include music from one of the nation's biggest pop groups, Westlife - has become a national celebration.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
However, anatomical studies have shown that in humans, the projections reach the cortex long before those final connections are established.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
But with the one-two punch, Raman has shown yet again that she’s the comeback kid of L.A. politics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
“The water supply has shown only mild salinity,” she continues.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
On social media, parents are showing trial runs of their early-morning routines for the school year, with regimens that are a far cry from the leisure of summer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Maps showing spectral ages across individual galaxies also revealed that their radio lobes continue changing after the jets have switched off.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
“Shout out to Beyoncé for showing respect to an ICON,” wrote Perez on Instagram.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Jacob Greaves: Stern test against the inspired Cody Gakpo, showing the quality he will face in the Premier League.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
“Young lady, what do you mean by showing up at the Foreign Office? Asking questions you’ve no right to ask?”
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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.
