Gimcrack can describe a showyVisually impressive in a way meant to attract attention thing that looks attractive but has little real value, or something that is cheap and tastelesslyIn a manner lacking good taste or good judgment flashyToo bright or elaborate, often trying hard to impress. It is used both as a noun and an adjective.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈdʒɪm.kræk/
Easy pronunciation: JIM-crak (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Noun meaning ornamental objects of little value.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Gimcrack Meaning
decorative things that look nice but are not worth much
Part of speech: noun
Definition: ornamental objects of little value
Example: The shelf was covered with gimcracks and souvenir trinkets.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- trumpery — Fits the sense of worthless decorative objects.
- falderol — Can refer to showy, useless ornaments or nonsense; works here in the object sense.
- folderal — Variant of falderol; used for flimsy, showy things of little value.
- gimcrackery — Directly related to gimcrack; refers to cheap, showy ornaments or trinkets.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Gimcrack
Meaning 2
too flashy or decorated in a cheap, ugly way
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: tastelessly showy
Example: She wore a gimcrack dress covered in too much glitter.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- flashy — A common match for something that is showy in a cheap way.
- gaudy — Strongly fits the sense of overdecorated and tastelessly showy.
- garish — A good substitute for something aggressively bright or showy in a bad way.
- tawdry — Means cheap-looking and showy.
- tacky — A very natural everyday synonym for tastelessly showy.
- trashy — Works when the style is cheap and lacking taste.
- meretricious — Suggests attractive on the surface but false or cheap underneath.
- flash — Can mean flashy or showy, though it is less precise than the others.
- loud — Works for clothing or decor that is visually overwhelming and in bad taste.
- brassy — Can describe a vulgar, overbold, showy style.
- tatty — Usually means shabby or worn, but can overlap with a cheap, unattractive look.
- cheap — Sometimes works for style, but it is broader and less exact than the others.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Gimcrack Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- flashy
- gaudy
- garish
- tawdry
- tacky
- trashy
ornamental objects of little value
- trumpery
- falderol
- folderal
- gimcrackery
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use gimcrack to mean simply old, broken, or worn out; the word usually implies flashy appearance with little real value or taste.
- Do not mix up the noun sense (worthless decorative objects) with the adjective sense (tastelessly showy).
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does gimcrack mean?
Gimcrack can mean a cheap ornamental object with little value, or something that is tastelessly showy and overdecorated.
What is a simple synonym for gimcrack?
For the adjective sense, a simple synonym is flashy. For the noun sense, trumpery is a close match.
Is gimcrack a positive word?
No. It is usually critical or dismissive, suggesting something is cheap, gaudy, or not worth much.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
