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show
American
[shoh]
/ ʃoʊ /
verb (used with object)
-
to cause or allow to be seen; exhibit; display.
-
to present or perform as a public entertainment or spectacle.
to show a movie.
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to indicate; point out.
to show the way.
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to guide, escort, or usher.
He showed me to my room. Show her in.
- Synonyms:
-
conduct,
lead
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to explain or make clear; make known.
He showed what he meant.
- Synonyms:
-
divulge,
disclose,
reveal,
elucidate,
clarify,
interpret
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to make known to; inform, instruct, or prove to.
I'll show you what I mean.
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to prove; demonstrate.
His experiment showed the falsity of the theory.
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to indicate, register, or mark.
The thermometer showed 10 below zero.
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to exhibit or offer for sale.
to show a house.
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to allege, as in a legal document; plead, as a reason or cause.
- Synonyms:
-
affirm,
assert
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to produce, as facts in an affidavit or at a hearing.
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to express or make evident by appearance, behavior, speech, etc..
to show one's feelings.
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to accord or grant (favor, kindness, etc.).
He showed mercy in his decision.
- Synonyms:
-
confer,
bestow
verb (used without object)
-
to be seen; be or become visible.
Does my slip show?
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to be seen in a certain way.
to show to advantage.
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to put on an exhibition or performance; display one's goods or products.
Several dress designers are showing in New York now.
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Informal.
to be present or keep an appointment; show up.
He said he would be there, but he didn't show.
-
to finish third in a horse race, harness race, etc.
noun
-
a theatrical production, performance, or company.
We’d like to catch a Broadway show while we’re in the city!
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a radio or television program.
The show is on Tuesdays at 8:00.
-
a movie.
Grab a popcorn and a drink before the show starts.
-
an exposition for dealers or the public of products by various manufacturers in a particular industry, usually held in an exhibition hall, convention facility, or the like.
the annual boat show.
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any kind of public exhibition or exposition.
a show of Renoirs.
- Synonyms:
-
spectacle
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ostentatious display.
nothing but mere show.
-
a display, exhibition, or demonstration.
a true show of freedom.
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an indication; trace.
He frowned on the slightest show of emotion.
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the position of the competitor who comes in third in a horse race, harness race, etc.
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appearance; impression.
to make a sorry show.
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a sight or spectacle.
-
an unreal or deceptive appearance.
The actress's tears had the show of grief.
- Synonyms:
-
illusion,
simulation,
pretense,
deception
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an act or instance of showing.
-
Informal.
a chance.
to get a fair show.
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Medicine/Medical.
-
the first appearance of blood at the onset of menstruation.
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a blood-tinged mucous discharge from the vagina that indicates the onset of labor.
-
Chiefly British Informal.
any undertaking, group of persons, event, etc.; affair; thing.
verb phrase
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show off
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to display ostentatiously.
The parade was designed to show off all the latest weapons of war.
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to seek to gain attention by displaying prominently one's abilities or accomplishments.
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show up
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to make known, as faults; expose; reveal.
-
to exhibit in a certain way; appear.
White shows up well against a blue background.
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to come to or arrive at a place.
We waited for two hours, but he didn't show up.
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to make (another) seem inferior; outdo.
idioms
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steal the show,
-
to get the most attention, applause, or credit for something: I did all the work, but my partner stole the show.
No doubt the three stars are all very talented, but the little boy stole the show.
I did all the work, but my partner stole the show.
-
to be the most pleasing or spectacular item or person in a group.
The entrées at this restaurant are always good, but expect dessert to steal the show!
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stop the show,
to win such enthusiastic applause that a theatrical performance is temporarily interrupted.
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run the show,
to control a business, situation, etc.; be in charge.
My father runs the show in our house.
-
make a show of,
to be ostentatious about; affect.
Whenever there are visitors, the bosses make a show of being nice to their employees.
verb
-
to make, be, or become visible or noticeable
to show one's dislike
-
(tr) to present to view; exhibit
he showed me a picture
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(tr) to indicate or explain; prove
to show that the earth moves round the sun
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(tr) to exhibit or present (oneself or itself) in a specific character
to show oneself to be trustworthy
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(tr; foll by how and an infinitive) to instruct by demonstration
show me how to swim
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(tr) to indicate or register
a barometer shows changes in the weather
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(tr) to grant or bestow
to show favour to someone
-
(intr) to appear
to show to advantage
-
to exhibit, display, or offer (goods, etc) for sale
three artists were showing at the gallery
-
(tr) to allege, as in a legal document
to show cause
-
to present (a play, film, etc) or (of a play, etc) to be presented, as at a theatre or cinema
-
(tr) to guide or escort
please show me to my room
-
to conduct a person into a room or building by opening the door for him
-
to conduct a person out of a room or building by opening the door for him
-
(intr) to win a place in a horse race, etc
-
to give a performance of riding and handling (a horse) to display its best points
-
informal
(intr) to put in an appearance; arrive
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged"
2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986
© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
noun
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a display or exhibition
-
a public spectacle
-
an ostentatious or pretentious display
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a theatrical or other entertainment
-
a trace or indication
-
obstetrics a discharge of blood at the onset of labour
-
informal
a chance; opportunity (esp in the phrases give someone a show, he's got no show of winning, etc)
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a sporting event consisting of contests in which riders perform different exercises to show their skill and their horses' ability and breeding
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slang
a thing or affair (esp in the phrases good show, bad show, etc)
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mining a slight indication of the presence of gold
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a display of farm animals, with associated competitions
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in order to attract attention
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informal
to take charge of or manage an affair, business, etc
-
to draw the most attention or admiration, esp unexpectedly
-
informal
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(of a stage act, etc) to receive so much applause as to interrupt the performance
-
to be received with great enthusiasm
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged"
2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986
© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
More idioms and phrases containing show
Usage
What are other ways to say show?
The noun show refers to any type of display, exhibition, or demonstration. How does it compare to display, ostentation, and pomp? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
Past
Future
Etymology
Origin of
show
First recorded before 900; (verb) Middle English showen, s(c)hewen “to look at, show,” Old English scēawian “to look at”; cognate with Dutch schowen, German schauen; (noun) Middle English s(c)hew(e), derivative of the verb
Explanation

Remember show and tell? To show something is to display something, to share it, or to put on a little show about it. Show is a word with many meanings, but they're closely related. There are TV and radio shows, and a play is also a show. In those cases, shows are types of entertainment. You can also say, "Let me show you something." You can show by pointing at something, but showing can also mean proving something. A lawyer needs to show why his client is innocent. People who can't stop showing things are called show-offs.
Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com
Vocabulary lists containing show

Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any
opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
show
shows
showed
shown
showing
Some pictures of the collapsed building, on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, show an entire side of it gone, with bedrooms and closets exposed.
From
BBC
●
Nov. 12, 2026
The records do not show any entries for this year, he said.
From
Barron's
●
Nov. 12, 2026
He owns about 3% of the company, securities filings show, and unlike other Silicon Valley founders of enormous companies, Nvidia doesn’t have a dual-class stock structure that grants him control of the company.
From
MarketWatch
●
Nov. 12, 2026
One factor: Some analysts say they expect investors to raise the bar for companies to show how the billions of dollars they are spending on the AI build-out are resulting in tangible returns for shareholders.
From
The Wall Street Journal
●
Nov. 11, 2026
Clare tensed but did his best not to show it.
From
"The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Pollution in Delhi is not limited to PM2.5 and satellite imagery shows a thick haze over the city on 8 and 9 November.
From
BBC
●
Nov. 12, 2026
Another procurement notice dated September 4, also seen by AFP but no longer accessible as of Thursday, shows that NPU's cybersecurity school purchased two Nvidia H200s for 796,000 yuan.
From
Barron's
●
Nov. 12, 2026
Anthony Clark, a comedian and an actor known for the television shows “Yes, Dear,” and “Boston Common,” has died.
From
Los Angeles Times
●
Nov. 12, 2026
Levels.fyi data shows the median base salary for new software engineer offers was 4% to 17% higher than for current employees at the same level.
From
The Wall Street Journal
●
Nov. 12, 2026
I had caught glimpses of the fashion shows in the open-air restaurant on the seventh floor.
From
"The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Hours later, aerial video showed firefighters pulling a survivor, covered in dust, out of the debris on a stretcher.
From
BBC
●
Nov. 12, 2026
If his peers resented the insults, they scarcely showed it: Posner was cited, by name, in more judicial opinions than any of his peers.
From
The Wall Street Journal
●
Nov. 12, 2026
TV images showed dozens of emergency vehicles swarming around the scene, with firefighters reportedly using chainsaws and search dogs to help find survivors.
From
Barron's
●
Nov. 11, 2026
Their observations showed that ozone levels directly above the South Pole fell to their lowest reading of 2026 on October 17, reaching 105 Dobson units.
From
Science Daily
●
Nov. 11, 2026
She had a pancake turner in her other hand, so I showed her my palms.
From
"The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Pochettino was the other name on United's shortlist when Erik ten Hag was appointed in April 2022, then again when the Dutchman was shown the door in October 2024.
From
BBC
●
Nov. 11, 2026
Studies have shown having plants in the workplace and having workers engage in their maintenance can help reduce burnout and boost morale.
From
The Wall Street Journal
●
Nov. 11, 2026
That’s shown in the below chart, which comes from OpenSecrets, a watchdog organization.
From
MarketWatch
●
Nov. 11, 2026
The amount and quality of evidence varies among the six, but all have shown potential in the lab to influence processes related to repair and recovery at the cellular or molecular level.
From
Los Angeles Times
●
Nov. 11, 2026
Only when she’s shown us to the kitchen table and placed two teacups in front of us does she speak again, in a flat, businesslike tone of voice.
From
"The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
On the project website, the researchers have released videos showing these processes in action.
From
Science Daily
●
Nov. 12, 2026
Other data showing strength in the economy suggests the Fed could even go for a 50-basis-point hike in December, ANZ Research analysts say in a note.
From
The Wall Street Journal
●
Nov. 12, 2026
Instead, they are using sound to create characters, settings and stories, building a picture in the audience's mind without showing them a single image.
From
BBC
●
Nov. 11, 2026
The big-box warehouse chain declares a special cash dividend of $30 a share, showing why it’s ‘a high-quality, defensive compounder.’
From
Barron's
●
Nov. 11, 2026
“And I’m guessing that’s the basket,” he said, pointing to the large border wall where security officers stood by an open door, the blue of the ocean showing just behind them.
From
"Glitch" by Laura Martin
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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.
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