me
ret
ri
cious
Comparative
more meretricious
Superlative
most meretricious
1
attractive in a showy or superficial way but lacking real value or sincerity
- The movie's meretricious special effects couldn't hide its weak storyline.
- He was drawn to her meretricious charm, not realizing it was all an act.
- The hotel's meretricious décor looked expensive but was actually cheap.
- The ad was filled with meretricious claims about the product's benefits.
- Their friendship turned out to be meretricious, built only on mutual advantage.
2
resembling or characteristic of a prostitute in appearance or behavior
- The character was portrayed in a meretricious outfit to fit the role in the play.
- Some critics found the painting's meretricious style offensive.
- The novel described the city's nightlife in vivid, meretricious detail.
- Her meretricious manner shocked the more conservative guests.
- The costume designer gave the villain a deliberately meretricious look.