gong show

noun

An event that proves to be a disaster, often in a fun or memorable way.

“That biology class was a gong show.”

Similar
amateur hourclusterfuckcomedy of errorsfiascoshit show
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Meanings

noungong show (plural gong shows)

plural gong shows

  1. CanadaAn event that proves to be a disaster, often in a fun or memorable way.

    That biology class was a gong show.

    1 more example

    Last night, we all went drinking, and the whole thing turned into a total gong show.

    Synonyms: amateur hour, clusterfuck, comedy of errors, fiasco, shit show

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn event that proves to be a disaster, often in a fun or memorable way.

Similar
amateur hourclusterfuckcomedy of errorsfiascoshit show
Also see
clusterfuck

Origin

After The Gong Show, a televised absurdist amateur talent contest first broadcast in the 1970s.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

gong show. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gong%20show

MLA

“gong show.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gong%20show. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gong show,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gong%20show.

Source: gong show on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.