meretricious

comparative more meretricious · superlative most meretricious

1. Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring.

   There is nothing showy or meretricious about the man.

   1885, William Dean Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham

   5 more examples

   I discovered even, by his conversation, when intoxicated that his favourites were wantons of the lowest class, who could by their vulgar, indecent mirth, which he called nature, rouse his sluggish spirits. Meretricious ornaments and manners were necessary to attract his attention.

   1798, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, “[Maria: or, The] Wrongs of Woman”, in W[illiam] Godwin, editor, Posthumous Works of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […]; and G[eorge,] G[eorge] and J[ohn] Robinson, […], →OCLC

   It might be reasonably objected elsewhere, that some of the tombs are meretricious and too fanciful; but the general brightness seems to justify it here; and Mount Vesuvius, separated from them by a lovely slope of ground, exalts and saddens the scene.

   1846, Charles Dickens, Pictures from Italy, London: […] Bradbury & Evans, […], →OCLC

   Gloriani’s statues were florid and meretricious; they looked like magnified goldsmith’s work.

   1875 January–December, Henry James, Jr., chapter III, in Roderick Hudson, Boston, Mass.: James R[ipley] Osgood and Company, late Ticknor & Fields, and Fields, Osgood, & Co., published 1876, →OCLC; republished as Roderick Hudson (EBook #176), U.S.A.: Project Gutenberg, 18 September 2016

   What is art beside love? I respect and applaud your indifference to fine poetry when you can contemplate the meretricious charms of this young person.

   1915, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter XLII, in Of Human Bondage, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, →OCLC

   He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   Synonyms: specious, brassy, cheap, flashy, garish, gaudy, gimcrack, tacky

2. lawInvolving unlawful sexual connection or lack of consent by at least one party (said of a romantic relationship).
3. obsoleteOf, or relating to prostitutes or prostitution.