show trial: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, academic, political
Quick answer
What does “show trial” mean?
A public trial intended to serve as political propaganda rather than administer justice.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A public trial intended to serve as political propaganda rather than administer justice.
A judicial process orchestrated to achieve a predetermined outcome, often to intimidate opponents or justify political actions, typically associated with authoritarian regimes.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage between British and American English.
Connotations
Both variants carry negative connotations of staged injustice and political theatrics.
Frequency
Equally infrequent in both variants, with slight preference in historical or political discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “show trial” in a Sentence
show trial of [defendant]show trial for [offense]show trial against [group]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “show trial” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The regime show-trialled its critics to suppress dissent.
American English
- The government show-trialed activists to make a political point.
adjective
British English
- The show-trial proceedings were widely criticized.
American English
- The show trial evidence was deemed unreliable.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; not applicable in standard business contexts.
Academic
Common in political science, history, and law discussions about judicial abuses.
Everyday
Infrequent; mainly encountered in news or historical references.
Technical
Used in legal and political analyses to describe biased or propaganda-driven trials.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “show trial”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “show trial”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “show trial”
- Using 'show trial' to refer to any high-profile or media-covered trial, rather than specifically politically motivated ones.
- Confusing it with 'kangaroo court', which implies incompetence or lack of formal procedure, whereas show trials are often meticulously staged.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily illegal in form, but it violates principles of fair trial and justice, often being used for propaganda rather than legal resolution.
Rarely, but there are instances where trials have been criticized as show trials due to political motivations, though they are more common in authoritarian regimes.
A show trial is often meticulously staged for propaganda purposes, while a kangaroo court implies haphazard injustice or lack of proper legal procedure.
Example: 'The dissident's trial was widely regarded as a show trial designed to intimidate others.'
A public trial intended to serve as political propaganda rather than administer justice.
Show trial is usually formal, academic, political in register.
Show trial: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃəʊ ˌtraɪəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃoʊ ˌtraɪəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “show trial”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'show' trial: it's like a theatrical performance staged for an audience, not a genuine search for truth.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE AS THEATER or TRIAL AS SPECTACLE
Practice
Quiz
What is a show trial primarily intended for?