Meaning & use
exhibitionism
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Meanings
noununcountabledisapproving
A habit of showing off or acting in a way that draws attention to yourself.
Grammar: Has no plural: pure exhibitionism.
Patterns
- accuse someone of exhibitionism
- an act of exhibitionism
Critics dismissed his loud speech as mere exhibitionism.
The athlete's celebration was joyful, not exhibitionism.
Social media can encourage a kind of everyday exhibitionism.
noununcountablemedical
A psychological condition in which a person feels a compulsion to expose their body in public to people who have not agreed to see it.
Grammar: A clinical term; in law it often appears as indecent exposure.
Patterns
- a diagnosis of exhibitionism
Psychiatrists classify compulsive exhibitionism as a disorder that can be treated.
The report discussed exhibitionism as a cause of some public-order offences.
Therapy for exhibitionism focuses on understanding the urge and controlling it.
Common combinations
- sheer exhibitionism
- The stunt was sheer exhibitionism, done only for the cameras.
- accused of exhibitionism
- The singer was accused of exhibitionism for her dramatic entrance.
- harmless exhibitionism
- The parade was a bit of harmless exhibitionism.
- an act of exhibitionism
- Climbing the statue was an act of exhibitionism.
- online exhibitionism
- Some commentators see viral dance videos as online exhibitionism.
Synonyms and how they differ
- showing off
- Showing off is the casual, spoken way of describing the same behavior, while exhibitionism sounds more serious and critical.
- attention-seeking
- Attention-seeking describes the motive, whereas exhibitionism describes the visible, often theatrical behavior.
- flamboyance
- Flamboyance can be admired as colorful style, but exhibitionism usually suggests the display is excessive.
- ostentation
- Ostentation is mainly about showy displays of wealth, while exhibitionism covers any behavior meant to be noticed.
Opposites
Word family
- exhibitionist noun
- a person who shows off or displays themselves
- exhibitionistic adjective
- having the nature of an exhibitionist
- exhibit verb
- to show something publicly
- exhibition noun
- a public display
Commonly confused: exhibitionism or exhibition?
exhibitionism vs exhibition
An exhibition is a public display, such as of art, and has no negative meaning; exhibitionism is the habit of showing off.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'exhibitionism' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Exhibitionism means showing off to attract attention. The other sentences need 'exhibition', the word for a public display.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exhibitionism”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.