show trial

noun

: a trial (as of political opponents) in which the verdict is rigged and a public confession is often extracted

Examples of show trial in a Sentence

They were forced to confess their guilt in public show trials.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And against all odds, Jane survived the show trials that took her sister-in-law and husband and their friends to the scaffold, as well as the purges of new queens. — Phillipa Gregory, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025 But that also eradicates a crucial option - to mount a show trial and scapegoat him for all the ills of his rule, thus absolving others. — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Records show trials had been scheduled and delayed repeatedly over the years, most recently on March 31. — Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 13 July 2025 The court case involving the Francoist throwback police culprits became a show trial for Spain’s young democracy. — John Hopewell, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for show trial

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of show trial was in 1928

Rhymes for show trial

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Browse Nearby Words

showtime
show trial
show tune
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Cite this Entry

“Show trial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/show%20trial. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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