for show
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Naiden admired Quill, but he would never have ripped up a copy of the Daily Worker as Quill did in public for show.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Yamamoto figured he was just going to the bullpen for show.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026
Sometimes the thin line between love and hate, including the brand of disdain that’s just for show, can be bridged by a tuna melt.
From Salon • Dec. 26, 2025
The West Midlands Peaky Blinder Group, which arranges monthly meet-ups and pub crawls for show enthusiasts, has grown to 44,000 members since being set up in 2018.
From BBC • Oct. 19, 2025
I flush the toilet, just for show, and head back to class.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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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.