for show
idiom
1
: intended to be seen but not used or bought
We're not supposed to eat the fruit on the table. It's just for show.
2
disapproving
: done in order to gain the approval or favor of others
He says he enjoys classical music, but it's only for show.
Examples of for show in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Martin said Aurora's sensors are not for show and are built with backups.
—
Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 15 July 2025
Don’t build tech for show—build it to solve real problems.
—Priya Abani, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
After this weekend’s hometown show, the quartet will hop to North America for show in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto and New York.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 July 2025
This war is mostly for show at this point, in other words, and investors are returning to fundamentals rather than politics.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for for show
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 15 July 2025
Don’t build tech for show—build it to solve real problems.
—Priya Abani, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
After this weekend’s hometown show, the quartet will hop to North America for show in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto and New York.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 July 2025
This war is mostly for show at this point, in other words, and investors are returning to fundamentals rather than politics.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for for show
Cite this Entry
“For show.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/for%20show. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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