pageantry

noun

pag·​eant·​ry ˈpa-jən-trē How to pronounce pageantry (audio)
Synonyms of pageantrynext
1
: pageants and the presentation of pageants
2
: colorful, rich, or splendid display : spectacle
3
: mere show : empty display

Examples of pageantry in a Sentence

I like the tradition and pageantry that come with graduations.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On the floor of the NYSE, a milestone moment for Hollywood after a fraught merger process was commemorated with the pageantry of the bell-ringing. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 An enduring muse, the noble creature has served humanity in countless ways—as transportation; on the hunt and in war; in sport and pageantry. — Air Mail, 3 Oct. 2026 Days after Chinese leader Xi Jinping left Washington having enjoyed a state dinner and a marching band, both sides are still figuring out what the pageantry actually bought them. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026 Even a few Republican loyalists have recoiled at the extravagant pageantry, seemingly designed to flatter Xi and awe a domestic audience, although the absence of TV cameras at the Rose Garden ceremony undermined that low-ambition objective. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pageantry

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pageantry was in 1609

Browse Nearby Words

pageanteer
pageantry
page boy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pageantry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pageantry. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pageantry

noun
pag·​eant·​ry ˈpaj-ən-trē How to pronounce pageantry (audio)
plural pageantries
1
: pageants and the presentation of pageants
2
: splendid display

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