The best synonyms for show depend on what you mean. Use display to present something, demonstrate to explain how something works, reveal to make hidden information known, indicate to point to a fact, and exhibit for a formal presentation.
The closest opposites include hide, conceal, and disguise, depending on the sense.
Meaning of Show
Part of speech: Verb (most common); also a noun.
Pronunciation (US): /ʃoʊ/
Definition: To make something visible, present information, demonstrate how something works, express a feeling, or make a fact clear. As a noun, show can mean a performance, television program, or public exhibition.
Word forms:
- Base form: show
- Third-person singular: shows
- Past tense: showed
- Past participle: shown (sometimes showed)
- Present participle: showing
- Noun plural: shows
Examples:
- The chart shows that sales increased in June.
- She used a simple experiment to show how the filter works.
This guide focuses mainly on the verb show, covering presentation, proof, discovery, expression, guidance, appearance, and entertainment. It also explains common noun uses.
Synonyms for Show
The best replacement depends on what you want to communicate. A synonym may change the meaning slightly, sound more formal, or require a different sentence structure. That added feeling or association is called connotation, while register means how formal or casual a word sounds.
1. Present or display something
Use these words when you want someone to see an object, image, document, or piece of work.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Display (verb, neutral) | Makes something visible, often deliberately. | The museum will display her paintings. |
| Present (verb, neutral-formal) | Offers something for people to consider or examine. | He presented his findings to the committee. |
| Exhibit (verb, formal) | Displays something publicly, especially artwork or evidence. | The gallery will exhibit local artists’ work. |
| Showcase (verb, promotional) | Highlights the best features or abilities of something. | The website showcases independent designers. |
| Reveal (verb, neutral) | Makes something previously hidden or unknown visible. | The curtain lifted to reveal the stage. |
Which should you choose? Use display for general visibility, present for information or proposals, and showcase when you want to emphasize strengths. Reveal suggests that something was previously hidden or unknown.
2. Make something clear or prove a point
Choose these alternatives when facts, evidence, research, or actions support a conclusion.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Demonstrate (verb, neutral-formal) | Makes a point clear through evidence or an example. | The experiment demonstrates how heat affects metal. |
| Prove (verb, direct) | Establishes that a claim is true; stronger than show. | The records prove that the payment was made. |
| Indicate (verb, formal) | Points toward a conclusion without always proving it. | The results indicate a possible improvement. |
| Illustrate (verb, neutral-formal) | Explains an idea with an example, image, or comparison. | This story illustrates the value of patience. |
| Establish (verb, formal) | Confirms a fact or conclusion through evidence. | The investigation established the cause of the error. |
Intensity ladder: strength of support for a factual claim
Indicate → illustrate → demonstrate → establish → prove
This is a rough guide, not a universal ranking. Illustrate explains an idea rather than necessarily supporting its truth, and establish can be stronger than prove in some contexts. The words are included to show different kinds of support, not as perfect substitutes.
For example, survey results may indicate a trend, but they don’t automatically prove its cause.
3. Make something hidden or unknown visible
These words work when information, a problem, or a previously unnoticed detail becomes known.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Uncover (verb, neutral) | Finds information that was hidden or unknown. | Reporters uncovered problems in the contract. |
| Expose (verb, often negative) | Makes wrongdoing, a weakness, or a secret public. | The audit exposed serious accounting errors. |
| Disclose (verb, formal) | Makes information known, often officially. | The company disclosed its annual earnings. |
| Unveil (verb, neutral-formal) | Presents something new or previously secret for the first time. | The team unveiled its latest design. |
| Bring to light (verb phrase, neutral-formal) | Makes hidden facts known. | The review brought several safety concerns to light. |
Uncover often suggests discovery; disclose emphasizes sharing information; and expose can carry a negative tone. You wouldn’t normally say that a company “exposed its new product” when you simply mean it launched or presented it.
4. Express a feeling or quality
Use these words when behavior, words, or actions communicate emotion, attitude, or character.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Express (verb, neutral) | Communicates a feeling, thought, or opinion. | She expressed gratitude for their help. |
| Convey (verb, neutral-formal) | Communicates a feeling or message to someone else. | His letter conveyed genuine concern. |
| Exhibit (verb, formal) | Displays a quality or behavior that others can observe. | The child exhibited remarkable patience. |
| Manifest (verb, formal) | Makes a quality or condition evident. | Her confidence manifested itself during the interview. |
| Demonstrate (verb, neutral-formal) | Shows a quality through actions or behavior. | The volunteers demonstrated great courage. |
Use express when someone communicates a feeling directly, convey when a message reaches an audience, and demonstrate when actions provide evidence of a quality.
5. Guide someone or point the way
When show means helping someone find a place, identify something, or learn a process, use a more precise verb.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Guide (verb, neutral) | Helps someone move through a place or process. | The instructor guided us through the exercise. |
| Direct (verb, neutral-formal) | Tells someone where to go or what direction to take. | The guard directed visitors to the entrance. |
| Lead (verb, neutral) | Takes someone toward a destination. | Mia led us to the meeting room. |
| Demonstrate (verb, neutral) | Shows how to perform a task. | The chef demonstrated how to knead the dough. |
| Walk through (verb phrase, conversational) | Explains a process step by step. | Can you walk me through the application? |
“Show me the way” can become “direct me to the station,” but “show me how to solve it” is more naturally replaced by “walk me through the solution” or “demonstrate the method.”
6. Attend, appear, or be visible
Sometimes show means to arrive or become noticeable.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Appear (verb, neutral) | Becomes visible or seems to be present. | A rainbow appeared after the rain. |
| Arrive (verb, neutral) | Reach a place, without implying anything about visibility. | The speaker arrived ten minutes early. |
| Turn up (phrasal verb, informal) | Arrives, often unexpectedly or after a delay. | He turned up just before lunch. |
| Emerge (verb, neutral-formal) | Comes into view or becomes known gradually. | New details emerged during the review. |
For attendance, arrive is often more precise than show. In casual conversation, “She never showed” can mean “She never arrived.”
7. Show a movie, program, or performance
When talking about entertainment, select a word that matches the activity.
| Word | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Screen (verb, neutral) | Presents a movie or video to an audience. | The theater will screen the documentary tonight. |
| Broadcast (verb, neutral-formal) | Transmits a program on television, radio, or another channel. | The station will broadcast the final live. |
| Air (verb, neutral) | Transmits a program or episode. | The network will air a new episode on Friday. |
| Perform (verb, neutral) | Presents music, drama, or another live act. | The group will perform its new song tonight. |
Use screen for a film, broadcast or air for a program, and perform for a live act. These are not interchangeable: a theater screens a movie but a musician performs a song.
Antonyms for Show
The opposite of show depends on its meaning. There is no single antonym that works in every sentence.
| Antonym | Opposite of | How it differs | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hide (verb, neutral) | Show an object or person | Keeps something out of sight. | He hid the spare key under a flowerpot. |
| Conceal (verb, formal) | Reveal or display information | Deliberately keeps something from being known or seen. | She concealed the details of the agreement. |
| Disguise (verb, neutral) | Show a true identity or appearance | Changes or masks how something looks. | He disguised his voice during the call. |
| Suppress (verb, formal) | Make information or emotion public | Prevents something from being expressed or released. | The report accused officials of suppressing evidence. |
| Withhold (verb, formal) | Disclose or provide information | Keeps information or something requested from another person. | The agency withheld the names from the public. |
| Obscure (verb, formal) | Make something clear or visible | Makes something difficult to see or understand. | Thick fog obscured the road signs. |
| Mask (verb, neutral) | Reveal a feeling or condition | Covers or hides the true nature of something. | Humor masked his disappointment. |
Near-misses: Ignore means to pay no attention to something, not necessarily to hide it. Deny means to say something is untrue or that you don’t have something; it isn’t a general opposite of show.
Show vs. Similar Words
These pairs are easy to confuse, but choosing the more precise verb can make your writing clearer.
| Pair | Key difference | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Show vs. demonstrate | Show is broad; demonstrate emphasizes evidence or a practical example. | She showed me the machine. / She demonstrated how to use it. |
| Show vs. reveal | Show can present anything; reveal suggests something hidden or unknown becomes known. | He showed the photograph. / The photograph revealed a clue. |
| Show vs. prove | Show may suggest or illustrate; prove makes a stronger claim that something is true. | The figures show a change. / The evidence proves the claim. |
| Show vs. indicate | Show is general; indicate often points toward a conclusion. | The map shows the route. / The results indicate a trend. |
| Show vs. display | Show is everyday and flexible; display emphasizes making something visible. | Let me show you my notes. / The screen displays the results. |
Which one should I choose?
Ask yourself these three questions:
- What am I doing? Presenting an object, proving a point, expressing an emotion, or guiding someone?
- How strong is the claim? Use indicate for a suggestion, demonstrate for supporting evidence, and prove when the evidence establishes the claim.
- What tone do I need? Choose show for simple, natural writing; disclose for formal information; and unveil for a new product or announcement.
Using Show and Its Synonyms in Context
The right alternative depends on the audience and situation.
- Formal: The investigation established that the records were incomplete.
- Casual: I’ll show you how to change the settings.
- Academic: The findings indicate a relationship between the two variables.
- Technical: The dashboard displays the current system status.
- Business: The presentation showcases the team’s latest achievements.
- Creative writing: A brief smile revealed her relief.
Common collocations
A collocation is a combination of words that commonly appear together. Learning these pairings helps you choose natural alternatives.
| Common pairing | Example |
|---|---|
| Show evidence | The lawyer showed evidence of the error. |
| Demonstrate ability | The candidate demonstrated strong leadership. |
| Display results | The monitor displays the results. |
| Reveal a secret | He revealed the secret to his friend. |
| Express gratitude | We expressed gratitude for their support. |
| Indicate a trend | The figures indicate a gradual decline. |
| Exhibit behavior | The student exhibited unusual behavior. |
| Screen a movie | The college will screen a short film. |
Common Mistakes
1. Using “prove” when the evidence only suggests something
Less precise: “The survey proves that everyone prefers online classes.”
Better: “The survey indicates that many respondents prefer online classes.”
A survey may suggest a pattern without proving a universal claim.
2. Using “reveal” for something that isn’t hidden
Less natural: “The teacher revealed the page in the textbook.”
Better: “The teacher showed us the page.”
Reveal works better when something was hidden, unknown, or unexpected.
3. Replacing “show” with “demonstrate” everywhere
“Demonstrate” often sounds too formal for simple requests. “Can you show me your notes?” is more natural than “Can you demonstrate your notes?”
4. Confusing “display” with “express”
You display a photograph on a screen, but you express an opinion or feeling. The verbs describe different actions.
Related Words, Idioms, and Word Origin
Related words
- Showing: the act of presenting something or making it visible.
- Display: the act or result of presenting something for viewing.
- Demonstration: an explanation or proof through examples or actions.
- Exhibition: a public presentation of objects or artwork.
- Evidence: information that supports a conclusion.
- Indication: a sign or clue that points toward something.
Idioms and fixed phrases
- Show off: to try to impress others by displaying your abilities or possessions. He likes to show off his new car.
- Show up: to arrive, or to make someone else’s faults more noticeable. She showed up late for the meeting.
- Show someone around: to guide someone through a place. I’ll show you around the campus.
- Show your true colors: to reveal your real character or intentions. The disagreement showed his true colors.
- For show: intended to create an appearance rather than serve a practical purpose. The expensive decorations were just for show.
Word origin
Show comes from Old English scēawian, meaning to look at, see, or behold. Its modern meanings developed to include presenting something for others to see and making ideas or qualities evident. For a dictionary reference, see Merriam-Webster’s thesaurus entry for show and Cambridge Dictionary’s entry for show.
Did you know?
The past tense of show is showed, but the usual past participle is shown: “She showed us the chart” and “The chart has shown a steady increase.”
FAQs
What is another word for show?
It depends on the meaning. Use display to present something, demonstrate to explain or support a point, reveal to make hidden information known, or express to communicate a feeling.
What is a formal word for show?
Try demonstrate, indicate, establish, disclose, or exhibit. Choose according to meaning: disclose suits information, while demonstrate suits evidence or a method.
What is a stronger word than show?
For a factual claim, prove can be stronger than show. For uncovering a secret, use expose or reveal. Neither is automatically stronger in every context.
What is another word for show in an essay?
Demonstrate, indicate, illustrate, and establish are useful in academic writing. Use indicate when the evidence suggests a conclusion and demonstrate when it supports a point more directly.
What is the opposite of show?
Common opposites include hide, conceal, disguise, and withhold. Use hide for something kept out of sight and withhold for information or something not given to others.
Is “show” the same as “demonstrate”?
Not exactly. Show has many meanings, including presenting an object or expressing a feeling. Demonstrate more often means explaining how something works or providing evidence for a point.
What is another word for show feelings?
Use express or convey when communicating emotions. Use exhibit or demonstrate when a person’s behavior makes a feeling or quality observable.
Quick Quiz
Choose the best answer for each question.
1. Which word best fits this sentence? “The experiment ___ how the filter removes dirt.”
- A. Concealed
- B. Demonstrated
- C. Withheld
- D. Disguised
2. Which word best fits? “The report ___ several previously unknown problems.”
- A. Revealed
- B. Arrived
- C. Performed
- D. Directed
3. Which word best fits? “The graph ___ a gradual increase in sales.”
- A. Hid
- B. Indicated
- C. Disguised
- D. Withheld
4. Which verb means to make a film available for an audience to watch at a theater?
- A. Express
- B. Establish
- C. Screen
- D. Conceal
5. Which is the clearest opposite of “show the location” if you mean keeping it out of sight?
- A. Display
- B. Present
- C. Hide
- D. Demonstrate
Mini-challenge: Rewrite this sentence using a more precise synonym for show:
“The data show that the new method works.”
Test your word choice
1. What word explains how a process works?
A. ConcealedB. DemonstratedC. WithheldD. Disguised
2. What word makes hidden information known?
A. RevealedB. ArrivedC. PerformedD. Directed
3. What word points to a trend in data?
A. HidB. IndicatedC. DisguisedD. Withheld
4. What word is used for presenting a film in a theater?
A. ExpressB. EstablishC. ScreenD. Conceal
5. What word means keeping something out of sight?
A. DisplayB. PresentC. HideD. Demonstrate
Check answers
Answers and mini-challenge
- B — Demonstrated
- A — Revealed
- B — Indicated
- C — Screen
- C — Hide
Mini-challenge example: “The data demonstrate that the new method works.” This is suitable if the data provide strong support for the claim. If they only suggest a possibility, use “indicate” instead.
Conclusion
The best synonym for show is the one that expresses your exact meaning.
Use Display for presenting something,
Demonstrate for explaining or supporting a point,
Reveal for making hidden information known,
and
Express for communicating feelings.
When you’re unsure, check the verb’s meaning and how it fits your sentence before replacing it.
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