Meaning & use
Kabuki
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A traditional form of Japanese theater known for its stylized drama, elaborate costumes, and exaggerated makeup; also used figuratively for behavior seen as showy and insincere.
See it in a sentence
The troupe performed a centuries-old kabuki play at the festival.
Reporters dismissed the press conference as pure political kabuki, with no real news announced.
A note on using this word
Kabuki emerged in early 17th-century Japan and traditionally features all-male casts, even in female roles, a convention that continues today.
Words with a similar meaning
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Another way to use it
2. noun
Behavior or an event regarded as showy, ritualistic, and lacking real substance.
Analysts called the trade talks a kabuki performance staged for the cameras.
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