gimcrack
Showy but worthless
Gimcrack describes something showy but cheaply made and worthless—a trinket that looks appealing but falls apart on inspection: The shelves were cluttered with gimcrack souvenirs.
As a noun, it's the object itself: a gimcrack from the dollar store.
The word carries contempt for flashy things that substitute appearance for substance.
Showy, worthless ornament
- trinketSmall worthless ornament
- ornamentThing that beautifies
- knickknackSmall decorative object
- gewgawCheap showy ornament
curio · figurine · tchotchke · bric-a-brac · embellishment · adornment · finery · frippery
Low in price
- flimsyWeak and easily damaged
- shoddyOf poor craftsmanship
- tawdryCheaply ornate and vulgar
- substandardBelow required quality
second-rate · inferior · low-end · chintzy · rickety · junky · ramshackle · disposable
Tastelessly ornate
- garishTastelessly showy
- flashyShowy, often tastelessly so
- tackyVulgar or slightly sticky
- showyExcessively eye-catching
ostentatious · glitzy · vulgar · tasteless · overdone · loud · kitschy · flamboyant
bauble
Showy, worthless ornament
- trinketSmall worthless ornament
- ornamentThing that beautifies
- knickknackSmall decorative object
gewgaw · curio · figurine · tchotchke · bric-a-brac · embellishment · adornment · finery · frippery · bijou
cheap
Low in price
substandard · second-rate · inferior · low-end · chintzy · rickety · junky · ramshackle · disposable · makeshift
gaudy
Tastelessly ornate
showy · ostentatious · glitzy · vulgar · tasteless · overdone · loud · kitschy · flamboyant · brassy
novelty
Quality of being original
- curiosityDesire to learn
- gadgetNovel small device
- contrivanceClever invention or scheme
toy · plaything · amusement · trifle · oddity · fancy · quirky · fanciful · frivolous · caprice
shallow
Without much depth
cosmetic · surface · insubstantial · hollow · skin-deep · appearance · sheen · gloss · empty · sham
- tackinesstackiness, gaudiness, garishness, tawdriness, trashiness
- trinketstrinket, trinket box, knickknack, bauble, gewgaw
- schlockschlock, schlocky, trash, junk, dreck
- gadgetssmartphone, gadget, gizmos, widget, tablet
- mechanical partsgears, levers, pulleys, bearings, springs
- thingamajigsthingamajig, thingamabob, whatchamacallit, doohickey, doodad
gimcrackwell-made
Soundly constructed
solid · sturdy · durable · handcrafted · first-rate