Keeping Up Appearances
Preserving social image
Keeping up appearances is maintaining an outward show of respectability, success, or normalcy despite private troubles.
The phrase suggests effort spent on image rather than substance—continuing to dress well, host parties, or act cheerful while finances crumble or a marriage fails: They kept up appearances for the children's sake.
The implication is usually critical, noting the gap between surface and reality.
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- pretenseDeceptive outward show
- statusOne's relative position
- snobberyPretentious social superiority
- neighborsThose dwelling nearby
gossip · suburban · nosy neighbors · Hyacinth · sitcom · British · comedy · social climbing · social climber · airs · propriety · stiff upper lip · respectability · middle-class · pretentious · tea party · garden party · china
- British SitcomsFawlty Towers, Blackadder, The Office, The IT Crowd, Absolutely Fabulous
- British TVDoctor Who, Coronation Street, EastEnders, The Crown, Downton Abbey
Keeping Up Appearancesauthenticity
Quality of being genuine
genuineness · keeping it real · true to oneself · sincerity · unpretentiousness
Keeping Up Appearancesshamelessness
Absence of moral embarrassment
nonconformity · letting it all hang out · free spirit · iconoclasm · couldn't care less
Keeping Up Appearancestransparency
State of being see-through
vulnerability · airing dirty laundry · coming clean · openness · wearing one's heart on one's sleeve
keeping, keeps, keeper, keepers, appear, appears, appeared, appearing, appearance