show
Americanverb (used with object)
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shows,
present (3rd person singular)
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showed,
past participle, past
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shown,
past participle
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showing
present participle
-
to cause or allow to be seen; exhibit; display.
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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.
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to explain or make clear; make known.
He showed what he meant.
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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.
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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.
verb (used without object)
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shows,
present (3rd person singular)
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showed,
past participle, past
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shown,
past participle
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showing
present participle
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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.
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to finish third in a horse race, harness race, etc.
noun
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shows
plural
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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.
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a movie.
Grab a popcorn and a drink before the show starts.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Informal. a chance.
to get a fair show.
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Medicine/Medical.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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idioms
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steal the show,
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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.
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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.
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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
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to make, be, or become visible or noticeable
to show one's dislike
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(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
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(intr) to appear
to show to advantage
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to exhibit, display, or offer (goods, etc) for sale
three artists were showing at the gallery
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(tr) to allege, as in a legal document
to show cause
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to present (a play, film, etc) or (of a play, etc) to be presented, as at a theatre or cinema
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(tr) to guide or escort
please show me to my room
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to conduct a person into a room or building by opening the door for him
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to conduct a person out of a room or building by opening the door for him
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(intr) to win a place in a horse race, etc
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to give a performance of riding and handling (a horse) to display its best points
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informal (intr) to put in an appearance; arrive
noun
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a display or exhibition
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a public spectacle
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an ostentatious or pretentious display
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a theatrical or other entertainment
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a trace or indication
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obstetrics a discharge of blood at the onset of labour
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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
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to draw the most attention or admiration, esp unexpectedly
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informal
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(of a stage act, etc) to receive so much applause as to interrupt the performance
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to be received with great enthusiasm
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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
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supershownoun
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reshowverb
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outshowverb (used with object)
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preshowadjective
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showableadjective
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showlessadjective
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unshowableadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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showsimple
-
showssimple
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have showedperfect
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have shownperfect
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has showedperfect
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has shownperfect
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am showingprogressive
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are showingprogressive
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is showingprogressive
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have been showingperfect progressive
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has been showingperfect progressive
Past
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showedsimple
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had showedperfect
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had shownperfect
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was showingprogressive
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were showingprogressive
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had been showingperfect progressive
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.
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:
The show regularly sits in the top podcast charts on Spotify alongside giants like Joe Rogan and Theo Von.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2026
Also in the last week, Married at First Sight UK has been cancelled following allegations of rape on the hit TV show.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
But Earle saved her side of the story for her new Netflix reality TV show.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2026
His plan was to show up at a rental car facility near LAX and hope for the best.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026
“Ah, now this I never leave behind, Karli. I never go anywhere without it. Can you pass it to me? This is what I wanted to show you.”
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
Cousins also starred in the movies “Twin Sitters” and “Critters 3,” and the TV shows “Eerie, Indiana,” “Empty Nest” and “Intruders.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2026
For more than 20 years, he wrote for shows like “All My Children,” “One Life to Live,” “General Hospital” and “Guiding Light.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
Eyewitness video shows the moment the cruise ship is seen sinking and the aftermath of the collision as rescue efforts are under way.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026
The story of one little boy who was diagnosed with cancer shows the far-reaching consequences of a craze that has clear echoes today.
From Slate ● Nov. 13, 2026
A large window behind her shows a skyline of a city with cars flying around it.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
The hosts, inspired by their captain Antoine Dupont, showed their class and skill to score three first-half tries.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026
Wojcieszak’s research showed that Meta’s stricter moderation before the 2020 election reduced misinformation exposure by 72%.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026
Wall Street stocks mostly fell Friday as tech shares remained under pressure following the shock downfall of Nvidia's chief Jensen Huang, while the dollar rose following additional data that showed US inflation is persisting.
From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2026
In a famous cartoon about Tammany Hall corruption, Thomas Nast showed each politician blaming the next one in a perfect circle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
“One of my friends even showed me a picture, and if you glanced at it, you couldn’t tell the difference between me and a deer!”
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Matron Ceri Newell said it was an example of the compassion and dedication shown by NHS staff.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026
The top one: A nursing home for the elderly does not seem the place for the vibrant young woman she is shown to be.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2026
Recent data have shown a sharp drop in housing finance, while some economists predict this year’s fall in house prices could be the biggest on record.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
It works by delivering electrical pulses to the median nerve at the wrist, which trials have shown can change the activity in the parts of the brain involved in movement control.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026
By the next morning, Elisha still had not shown up.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
There's worry about the impact on the men's team's performance this summer, after a lacklustre showing in South Africa last month - its first Test matches there since the 2018 incident.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026
Here’s a similar chart showing how stocks have performed during periods during which the federal-funds rate has been higher or lower than the current target range of 3.75% to 4%.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2026
“Their legacy will inspire the next generation to keep pushing boundaries and showing the world what Californians can do.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026
The ad was recorded in Hodges’s living room, showing the two men seated side-by-side, in a show of comity that echoed a bygone era.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
He grunted and swatted his stubby hands at me, but once I said I had a message for him to deliver, he clapped his hands and smiled, showing tiny yellow teeth.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
