1
a
: a mere show : pretense
b
: an ostentatious display
2
: show, exhibition
especially
: an elaborate colorful exhibition or spectacle often with music that consists of a series of tableaux, of a loosely unified drama, or of a procession usually with floats
Examples of pageant in a Sentence
They disagreed with the pageant judges.
Their church puts on an annual Christmas pageant.
Recent Examples on the Web
In 1974, Wayne married Kathlyn White, a former pageant queen.
—
Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 4 Jan. 2025
On a Sunday night in 1945, Jimmy Carter, on a break from the U.S. Naval Academy in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, was supposed to go out on a date with a pageant queen.
—Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024
Pictures of the photogenic 6-year-old competing in child beauty pageants appeared in the tabloids, while armchair detectives filled the airwaves, debating the contents of the ransom note.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
Specifically, the pageant's chap design contest is a thing of wonder.
—Erin Alberty, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pageant 
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Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 4 Jan. 2025
On a Sunday night in 1945, Jimmy Carter, on a break from the U.S. Naval Academy in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, was supposed to go out on a date with a pageant queen.
—Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024
Pictures of the photogenic 6-year-old competing in child beauty pageants appeared in the tabloids, while armchair detectives filled the airwaves, debating the contents of the ransom note.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
Specifically, the pageant's chap design contest is a thing of wonder.
—Erin Alberty, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pageant
Dictionary Entries Near pageant
Cite this Entry
“Pageant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pageant. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pageant
noun
pag·eant
ˈpaj-ənt 
1
: an impressive exhibition or spectacle
2
: an entertainment consisting of scenes based on history or legend
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