A gewgaw is a showy, colorful little object that looks fancy but has no real use or value. Think of those plastic trinkets you might win at a carnival: they catch your eye with their bright colors and sparkle, but after a few days they usually end up forgotten in a drawer.

The word has a slightly dismissive tone. When someone calls something a gewgaw, they're saying it's all flash and no substance. A jewelry box full of gewgaws might be packed with costume jewelry and shiny baubles that look impressive but aren't worth much. A room decorated with too many gewgaws might feel cluttered with little decorative items that don't serve any purpose beyond looking pretty.

You might hear adults use this word when they're being critical of something for being superficial or pointless. “Don't waste your allowance on gewgaws” means don't spend money on junk that seems exciting now but won't matter later.