catchpenny
Showy but worthless
Catchpenny describes something cheap and showy, designed to attract buyers without offering real value.
The word usually modifies nouns like schemes, goods, or publications: catchpenny souvenirs, a catchpenny tabloid.
As a noun, a catchpenny is such an item—something that catches pennies from the unwary.
The term is somewhat old-fashioned but still used to criticize shoddy commercial appeals.
Tastelessly showy
- gaudyTastelessly ornate
- flashyShowy, often tastelessly so
- tackyVulgar or slightly sticky
- kitschTasteless, garish art
showy · cheapjack · brummagem · shoddy · trashy · chintzy · glitzy · meretricious
Quality of being original
- trinketSmall worthless ornament
- baubleShowy, worthless ornament
- knickknackSmall decorative object
- gewgawCheap showy ornament
gimcrack · tchotchke · doodad · geegaw · curio · whatnot · trifle · fad
Roving vocal merchant
- peddlerRoving small-goods merchant
- vendorOne who sells goods
- hucksterAggressive, unscrupulous peddler
- pitchmanPersuasive product demonstrator
carnival · boardwalk · fairground · bazaar · flea-market · souvenir · tourist-trap · stall
Powerfully appealing
- temptingArousing desire or interest
- attention-grabbingCommanding immediate notice
- sensationalArousing intense excitement
- luridShockingly vivid or gruesome
come-on · bait · hook · lure · clickbait · teaser · hype · siren
Designed for discard
- flimsyWeak and easily damaged
- ephemeralLasting very briefly
- short-livedLasting only briefly
- transientTemporary, soon departing
fleeting · forgettable · perishable · temporary · faddish · passing · momentary · impermanent
garish
Tastelessly showy
kitsch · showy · cheapjack · brummagem · shoddy · trashy · chintzy · glitzy · meretricious · tinsel
novelty
Quality of being original
- trinketSmall worthless ornament
- baubleShowy, worthless ornament
- knickknackSmall decorative object
gewgaw · gimcrack · tchotchke · doodad · geegaw · curio · whatnot · trifle · fad · bric-a-brac
hawker
Roving vocal merchant
pitchman · carnival · boardwalk · fairground · bazaar · flea-market · souvenir · tourist-trap · stall · roadside
alluring
Powerfully appealing
- temptingArousing desire or interest
- attention-grabbingCommanding immediate notice
- sensationalArousing intense excitement
lurid · come-on · bait · hook · lure · clickbait · teaser · hype · siren · splashy
throwaway
Designed for discard
- flimsyWeak and easily damaged
- ephemeralLasting very briefly
- short-livedLasting only briefly
transient · fleeting · forgettable · perishable · temporary · faddish · passing · momentary · impermanent
catchpennyquality
Standard or attribute
premium · first-rate · superior · valuable · worthwhile
catchpennyunderstated
Deliberately minimized in expression
dignified · restrained · unflashy · subtle · refined
catchpennygenuine
Truly what it claims
authentic · honest · sincere · substantive · meritorious
catch, catching, caught, pennies, penniless, catcher, penning, pence, catchers