Skip to main content

Style over substance 

When someone or somethings aesthetic and perceived value, mask the lack of content and depth of character.
A- Did you see Dave’s post on Instagram the other day?
B- No
A- Its just him sat there in his car looking off into the distance flashing his fancy watch and designer clothes with the hashtags Range Rover, Burberry, Rolex. And he only went and sponsored the post.

B- That’s style over substance for ya.
Urban Dictionary Merch
Your favorite words on things you can wear, drink from, read, or give to a friend.
The Urban Dictionary Store sells gifts you’ll have to explain.

style over substance 

1) a.k.a "first shoot then draw target"
a.k.a "first sell than produce"

That's pretty much how this world works.

Some asocial geeks and geniuses invent things and stuff, than comes some Steve Jobs or Bill Gates that calls himself "King of geeks", doing pretentious face, poses and phrases and basically "selling" the "style of geekiness" to the general public. That's because for the general public the "substance" is not interesting cause it's complex and takes time to understand, while "style" is interesting cause it's quickly pleases eyes and ears while engaging your own imagination about yourself in this world.

2) Just the same thing as pictured above, but specifically in movies. Pleasing eyes and ears instead of telling interesting story.
1)
X: Hey, look at my new Marvel shirt, while i'm pasting some famous quotes from smart people to my Facebook.
Y: You wont get smarter by doing this. That's just style over substance.

2)

X: Wow, I just saw new Tarantino movie. It's so cool, was so violent and fun. Tarantino is great.
Y: Violent and fun? Why you don't watch crime news and get fun?

X: You don't understand, it's Tarantino, it's his style, he should be so.
Y: More like "style over substance"
style over substance by gigabyte46 September 19, 2016
More from Urban Dictionary
EBK stands for "Elite Ball Knowledge." 1 In internet slang, "ball knowledge" originally referred to a deep understanding of football/soccer or basketball, but it has evolved into a broader term for having a highly sophisticated, deep, or niche understanding of any specific topic (such as music, movies, or subcultures).
Person A: "That scene was a direct homage to an unreleased 1982 Japanese indie film."
Person B: "Wow, EBK."
EBK by silwhett November 5, 2026
Word of the Day on November 6, 2026
A seemingly endless debate with a idiot
I don't know man im not ready for yap trap stupidity today which always tries to suck you into it
Yap Trap by WolfieSnack November 4, 2026
Word of the Day on November 5, 2026
Texas is categorized as a swing state in presidential elections, but has voted for Republicans more times than for Democrats in recent history. As such, as demographics change political alignments, some Democrats believe that Texas will vote blue, or Democratic, due to their Hispanic and African American voters, who often align themselves with the Democratic Party's liberal wing.

Blexas has been cited as possible in the upcoming decades, but only if Democrats continue to win the Hispanic vote in bigger margins.
Democrat 1: What is your prediction for the 2024 presidential election?
Democrat 2: Well uh, Blexas!
Democrat 1: You've been saying that since 2008 though.
Blexas by Tritonist June 14, 2021
Word of the Day on November 4, 2026

briefcake 

"Did you check out the briefcake in courtroom C?"
briefcake by Ben Frey April 6, 2006
Word of the Day on November 3, 2026
Brought to public attention by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in the book on the fall of Richard Nixon, All The President’s Men, ratfucker was Nixon’s term for a political operative who sows chaos among opponents; an agent provocateur. It is thought to have originated among campus political rivalries at USC, and seems to have some usage in the US military.
Along with Nixon’s other ratfuckers, Roger Stone caused fights at otherwise peaceful Democratic Party protests to generate a false narrative that the Democrats were violent and dangerous.
Ratfucker by Ricky Ramjet November 2, 2017
Word of the Day on November 2, 2026
Load more