show biz: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal
Quick answer
What does “show biz” mean?
The industry or profession of entertainment, especially theatre, film, television, and popular music.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The industry or profession of entertainment, especially theatre, film, television, and popular music.
The culture, lifestyle, and practices associated with the entertainment industry, often implying glamour, publicity, superficiality, and business dealings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Slightly more common in American English print media, but widely understood and used in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties: glamour, commercialism, publicity, sometimes superficiality.
Frequency
Moderately common in both varieties, slightly higher frequency in US tabloids and entertainment journalism.
Grammar
How to Use “show biz” in a Sentence
[Noun Phrase] in show bizthe world of show biza show biz [Noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “show biz” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- He has that classic show-biz smile.
American English
- It was a real showbiz kind of event.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in marketing, talent management, and media business contexts to refer to the commercial entertainment sector.
Academic
Rare; replaced by 'entertainment industry' or specific terms like 'cultural production'.
Everyday
Common in informal conversation about celebrities, movies, music, and television.
Technical
Not used; industry professionals may use specific terms like 'film industry', 'music business', 'broadcasting'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “show biz”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “show biz”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “show biz”
- Using it as a plural (e.g., 'many show biz').
- Using it in formal writing where 'entertainment industry' is required.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's informal. Use 'the entertainment industry' or 'show business' in more formal contexts.
There is no difference in meaning. 'Show biz' is simply a colloquial, clipped form of 'show business'.
Primarily it refers to professional, commercial entertainment like film, TV, theatre, and popular music. It typically wouldn't refer to a child's school play or a local amateur dramatics group.
All three forms are acceptable. 'Showbiz' (as one word) and 'show biz' (as two) are the most common. 'Show-biz' with a hyphen is less frequent.
The industry or profession of entertainment, especially theatre, film, television, and popular music.
Show biz: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃəʊ ˌbɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃoʊ ˌbɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “All that show biz glitz and glamour.”
- “A show biz veteran.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the 'biz' in 'show biz' as short for 'business' – it's literally the 'business of putting on a show'.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IS A GLAMOROUS MARKETPLACE.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is a common collocation with 'show biz'?