display 1 of 2

1
as in exhibit
a public showing of objects of interest a display of paintings by masters of French Impressionism

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in demonstration
an outward and often exaggerated indication of something abstract (as a feeling) for effect a display of sympathy that was totally phony

Synonyms & Similar Words

display

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word display different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of display are exhibit, expose, flaunt, parade, and show. While all these words mean "to present so as to invite notice or attention," display emphasizes putting in a position where others may see to advantage.

display sale items

When is exhibit a more appropriate choice than display?

While the synonyms exhibit and display are close in meaning, exhibit stresses putting forward prominently or openly.

exhibit paintings at a gallery

Where would expose be a reasonable alternative to display?

The synonyms expose and display are sometimes interchangeable, but expose suggests bringing forth from concealment and displaying.

sought to expose the hypocrisy of the town fathers

When is it sensible to use flaunt instead of display?

Although the words flaunt and display have much in common, flaunt suggests a shameless, boastful, often offensive parading.

nouveaux riches flaunting their wealth

When could parade be used to replace display?

The meanings of parade and display largely overlap; however, parade implies an ostentatious or arrogant displaying.

parading their piety for all to see

When would show be a good substitute for display?

In some situations, the words show and display are roughly equivalent. However, show implies no more than enabling another to see or examine.

showed her snapshots to the whole group

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of display
Noun
As dusk turns to night on June 27, the shower is likely to produce its most impressive displays. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 The 13-inch Laptop does make some welcome upgrades—a backlit keyboard, a somewhat larger and higher-resolution display panel—but its aluminum body feels slightly softer and flimsier than what the main Surface Laptop uses. ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025
Verb
Smash Kitchen displayed its Hot Honey Ketchup, adding a little heat to the sweetness of the classic condiment. Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 4 July 2025 After the wedding, Barrett kept the crown, and it was later displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London for its 100 Tiaras, Past and Present show. Yasmeen Hamadeh, People.com, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for display
Recent Examples of Synonyms for display
Noun
  • This column, adapted from remarks at the opening of the PragerU Founders Museum exhibit last month, was originally published by RealClearEducation and made available via RealClearWire.
    Linda McMahon, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 July 2025
  • Earlier in the evening, with Minor sitting on stage as Lakers broadcaster John Ireland emceed the banquet, Tae Crowder, the 2020 honoree who never had a banquet or other Irrelevant activities in his honor because of the pandemic, joined Minor on stage in a poignant exhibit of fraternity.
    Richard Dunn, Oc Register, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • The classic demonstration of LFP battery safety involves driving a nail through a pack, which can cause immediate conflagration with NMC batteries, but this is less likely with LFP.
    James Morris, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • The July 11 anti-government demonstrations were met with a crackdown ordered by Díaz-Canel on state television that day.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • That leadership will need to show itself in the coming months, before ballots are printed and voters start returning ballots by mail.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
  • The rest of the tapes couldn’t be used, shown, or go anywhere.
    Devon Ivie, Vulture, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • If someone deliberately feeds misleading or malicious information to the AI or manipulates the backend knowledge-base articles and context sources, the system could learn something harmful, behave incorrectly or even reveal fragments of private data later on.
    Khash Kiani, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • The fourth and final season of Amazon's quirky-yet-depressing sci-fi comedy will premiere in full on August 25 on Amazon Prime Video, USA TODAY can exclusively reveal.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • This is an exhibition — his exhibition — titled ‘Football City, Art United’, part of the biennial Manchester International Festival.
    Mark Critchley, New York Times, 7 July 2025
  • Roughly a quarter are on display at two permanent exhibitions — their original museum in Orlando and their Las Vegas flagship — as well as five traveling shows circling the globe.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • Earlier this year, Anthropic, an AI startup, flashed a big warning: AI could wipe out more than half of all entry-level white-collar jobs in the next one to five years.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025
  • The Spy bag has since been spotted on celebrities such as Aubrey Plaza, Kelly Rowland, Rita Ora and Bianca Balti, while Rihanna and Bella Hadid, among others, have recently flashed vintage models.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • Given to the forward who demonstrates throughout the season the most skill in the defensive component of the game.
    The Athletic NHL Staff, New York Times, 12 July 2025
  • These weren't amateur attempts at gaming the system — they were carefully crafted prompt injections that demonstrated deep understanding of how AI systems process text and respond to instructions.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • This week has also seen Trump unveil a host of new duties, but uncertainty over whether these will go into effect has again placed the Fed, and the economy at large, in wait-and-see mode.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
  • Rubio, who is also President Trump’s national security adviser, unveiled a reorganization plan for the State Department in April, with plans to get rid of 132 offices and fold 137 other offices within the department.
    Filip Timotija, The Hill, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Display.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/display. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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