Meaning & use

gimmicky

adjective·Academic

Relying on a cheap or showy trick to attract attention, rather than genuine quality.

See it in a sentence

Critics called the new phone's folding screen a gimmicky feature nobody needed.

The restaurant's gimmicky theme couldn't make up for its bland food.

A note on using this word

Gimmicky is almost always negative, suggesting style chosen over real substance or usefulness.

Words with a similar meaning

contrivedshowy

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

genuine

Make it your own

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