mummery
Hollow theatrical display
Mummery is empty ritual or pretentious ceremony—actions that are showy but hollow: He dismissed the coronation as mere mummery.
The word suggests performance without substance, going through motions that have lost their meaning.
Originally mummery referred to performances by mummers, masked actors in traditional folk plays.
Identity-concealing alteration
- costumeClothing for portrayal
- maskFace-worn concealment
- carnivalTraveling amusement attraction
- revelryNoisy, lively celebration
ball · gala · venetian · festival · guise · incognito · fete · mumming
Absurd or obvious pretense
- shamFraudulent imitation
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- farceAbsurd, laughable situation
- showMake something apparent
affectation · posturing · insincerity · hypocrisy · fakery · playacting · going through motions · hollow display
Formal event marking occasions
- riteCeremonial act or practice
- liturgyFormal worship structure
- pageantryElaborate ceremonial display
- processionFormal moving line
vestments · robes · regalia · incantation · chanting · sacrament · observance · pomp
Wordless expressive performer
- dumbshowSilent dramatic performance
- gesturesExpressive body movements
- clowningPlayful comic behavior
- buffooneryLudicrous or silly conduct
harlequinade · physical comedy · slapstick · antics · mugging · wordless · commedia · foolery
disguise
Identity-concealing alteration
revelry · ball · gala · venetian · festival · guise · incognito · fete · mumming · wassailing
charade
Absurd or obvious pretense
show · affectation · posturing · insincerity · hypocrisy · fakery · playacting · going through motions · hollow display · put-on
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
procession · vestments · robes · regalia · incantation · chanting · sacrament · observance · pomp · formality
mime
Wordless expressive performer
buffoonery · harlequinade · physical comedy · slapstick · antics · mugging · wordless · commedia · foolery · capering
- medieval lifechivalry, royal courts, jousting, knighthood, falconry
- folk artstribal art, folk opera, folk theater, Celtic knotwork, Navajo weaving
- mockerymockery, ridiculing, jeers, jeering, jibes
- Renaissance fairejousting, maypole dance, feast, masquerade ball, harvest festival
- Court Entertainmentjesters, jester, court jester, court fool, fools
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
mummerysincerity
Honest, unfeigned genuineness
authenticity · genuineness · earnestness · true devotion · candor