ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›T›tawdry
ISEE/SSAThard
tawdry
cheap and showy in appearance or quality
Synonyms
- gaudy
- garish
- tacky
Antonyms
- tasteful
- elegant
- refined
tawdry in a sentence
The booth displayed tawdry jewelry beneath glaring lights.
The hotel lobby was crowded with tawdry statues painted gold.
Where it comes from
Shortened from 'Saint Audrey's lace,' a name for cheap finery.
Memory hook
TAWDRY sounds like 'torn jewelry': flashy decoration that looks cheap.
Read it in context
- The Unfinished Finale Narrative
- The Ninth Spring Nature