Tawdry

/ˈtɔːdri/
adjective

Cheap and of poor quality, often looking bright and attractive.

She wears tawdry jewelry that looks cheap.
Visual representation of "tawdry" - Cheap and of poor quality, often looking bright and attractive

Often appears as...

  • tawdry jewelry
  • tawdry clothes

Usage tips

Disapproving

adjective

Showy but worthless or deceitfully attractive.

The event was a tawdry affair with no real substance.
Visual representation of "tawdry" - Showy but worthless or deceitfully attractive

Often appears as...

  • tawdry affair
  • tawdry promise

Usage tips

Disapproving

adjective

Involving unwanted sexual attention, or looking sexually attractive but cheap or not respectable.

The movie contains tawdry scenes that are inappropriate for children.
Visual representation of "tawdry" - Involving unwanted sexual attention, or looking sexually attractive but cheap or not respectable

Often appears as...

  • tawdry scenes
  • tawdry behaviour

Usage tips

Disapproving

adjective

Cheap and of poor quality, often looking bright and attractive.

She wears tawdry jewelry that looks cheap.
Visual representation of "tawdry" - Cheap and of poor quality, often looking bright and attractive

Often appears as...

  • tawdry jewelry
  • tawdry clothes

Usage tips

Disapproving

adjective

Showy but worthless or deceitfully attractive.

The event was a tawdry affair with no real substance.
Visual representation of "tawdry" - Showy but worthless or deceitfully attractive

Often appears as...

  • tawdry affair
  • tawdry promise

Usage tips

Disapproving

adjective

Involving unwanted sexual attention, or looking sexually attractive but cheap or not respectable.

The movie contains tawdry scenes that are inappropriate for children.
Visual representation of "tawdry" - Involving unwanted sexual attention, or looking sexually attractive but cheap or not respectable

Often appears as...

  • tawdry scenes
  • tawdry behaviour

Usage tips

Disapproving

Definition 1 of 3
Visual representation of "tawdry"
LampPro Tip 1/2

Visual Deceit

Means something looks good but lacks quality or value.

Illustration for Visual Deceit
The tawdry souvenir broke the day after he bought it.
LampPro Tip 2/2

Not for Professionals

Avoid in formal or professional settings, as it suggests cheapness.

Illustration for Not for Professionals
The lawyer's tawdry briefcase did not impress her clients.
LampPro Tip 1/2

Visual Deceit

Means something looks good but lacks quality or value.

Illustration for Visual Deceit
The tawdry souvenir broke the day after he bought it.
LampPro Tip 2/2

Not for Professionals

Avoid in formal or professional settings, as it suggests cheapness.

Illustration for Not for Professionals
The lawyer's tawdry briefcase did not impress her clients.
LampPro Tip 1/2

Visual Deceit

Means something looks good but lacks quality or value.

Illustration for Visual Deceit
The tawdry souvenir broke the day after he bought it.
LampPro Tip 2/2

Not for Professionals

Avoid in formal or professional settings, as it suggests cheapness.

Illustration for Not for Professionals
The lawyer's tawdry briefcase did not impress her clients.
Visual representation of the word "Tawdry"

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Quote examples

Andrew O'Hagan

Scottish Novelist

I probably owe my political dismay to New Labour, but also my growing sense that the satirical shape of human affairs is international and historical, not glued to the tawdry ambitions of a team of politicians who represent nothing but themselves.
Portrait of Andrew O'Hagan

Quote examples

Jonathan Miles

Havana is one of the great cities of the world, sublimely tawdry yet stubbornly graceful, like tarnished chrome - a city, as a young Winston Churchill once wrote, where 'anything might happen.
Portrait of Jonathan Miles

Quote examples

Giles Gilbert Scott

English Architect

The artistic taste of the Catholic priests is appalling and I am most anxious to have a Catholic church in which everything is genuine and good, and not tawdry and ostentatious.
Portrait of Giles Gilbert Scott

Quote examples

David Hewson

British Author

Historic Amsterdam, that old part you first see when you turn up at Centraal Station, may have its monuments, but it's also the most tawdry and overcrowded part of the city.
Portrait of David Hewson

Quote examples

Edmund Leach

British Scientist

Far from being the basis of the good society, the family, with its narrow privacy and tawdry secrets, is the source of all our discontents.
Portrait of Edmund Leach

Quote examples

Penny Junor

English Journalist

I don't think the monarchy is tawdry in the slightest. I think the monarchy is hugely important for Britain.
Portrait of Penny Junor

Quote examples

Barkha Dutt

Indian Journalist

Most of us will agree that my former medium, television news, has been reduced to tawdry entertainment.
Portrait of Barkha Dutt

Quote examples

Oliver Reed

English Actor

I'm not a villain, I've never hurt anyone. I'm just a tawdry character who explodes now and again.
Portrait of Oliver Reed

Quote examples

Rose McGowan

American Actress

I never considered myself a celebrity. I hate that word. It's tawdry.
Portrait of Rose McGowan

Quote examples

Errol Morris

American Director

Do I like tawdry, sleazy stories? Yeah, I do.
Portrait of Errol Morris

Quote examples

Andrew O'Hagan

Scottish Novelist

I probably owe my political dismay to New Labour, but also my growing sense that the satirical shape of human affairs is international and historical, not glued to the tawdry ambitions of a team of politicians who represent nothing but themselves.
Portrait of Andrew O'Hagan

Quote examples

Jonathan Miles

Havana is one of the great cities of the world, sublimely tawdry yet stubbornly graceful, like tarnished chrome - a city, as a young Winston Churchill once wrote, where 'anything might happen.
Portrait of Jonathan Miles

Quote examples

Giles Gilbert Scott

English Architect

The artistic taste of the Catholic priests is appalling and I am most anxious to have a Catholic church in which everything is genuine and good, and not tawdry and ostentatious.
Portrait of Giles Gilbert Scott

Quote examples

David Hewson

British Author

Historic Amsterdam, that old part you first see when you turn up at Centraal Station, may have its monuments, but it's also the most tawdry and overcrowded part of the city.
Portrait of David Hewson

Quote examples

Edmund Leach

British Scientist

Far from being the basis of the good society, the family, with its narrow privacy and tawdry secrets, is the source of all our discontents.
Portrait of Edmund Leach

Quote examples

Penny Junor

English Journalist

I don't think the monarchy is tawdry in the slightest. I think the monarchy is hugely important for Britain.
Portrait of Penny Junor

Quote examples

Barkha Dutt

Indian Journalist

Most of us will agree that my former medium, television news, has been reduced to tawdry entertainment.
Portrait of Barkha Dutt

Quote examples

Oliver Reed

English Actor

I'm not a villain, I've never hurt anyone. I'm just a tawdry character who explodes now and again.
Portrait of Oliver Reed

Quote examples

Rose McGowan

American Actress

I never considered myself a celebrity. I hate that word. It's tawdry.
Portrait of Rose McGowan

Quote examples

Errol Morris

American Director

Do I like tawdry, sleazy stories? Yeah, I do.
Portrait of Errol Morris
Example 1 of 10
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