1.
in name only; nominal; only in title
Describes something or someone that holds a title, name, or label but lacks the substance, authority, or quality that the name implies. Carries a critical or dismissive nuance.
This is a supposedly high-end restaurant in name only; the food was ordinary.
Usage
名ばかり modifies nouns with の: 名ばかりの社長 (a president in name only). It is a critical expression implying that the reality does not match the label. The word is a compound of 名 (name) + ばかり (only/just).
Common collocations
Similar words
形だけの means 'only for show' or 'only in form' and is close in meaning. 有名無実 is a four-character idiom meaning 'in name but not in reality.' 名ばかり is the most commonly used in everyday speech.
Related Words
Compare:
飾り物 (ornament)