swagger

1 of 3

verb

swag·​ger ˈswa-gər How to pronounce swagger (audio)
swaggered; swaggering ˈswa-g(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce swagger (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to conduct oneself in an arrogant or superciliously pompous manner
especially : to walk with an air of overbearing self-confidence
2
: boast, brag

transitive verb

: to force by argument or threat : bully
swaggerer noun
swaggeringly adverb

swagger

2 of 3

noun

plural swaggers
1
a
: an arrogantly self-confident way of walking : an act or instance of swaggering
b
: arrogant or conceitedly self-assured behavior
c
: ostentatious display or bravado
2
: bold or brash self-confidence
"Taxi" opens with an argument over capital punishment between a progressive female teacher and a condescending loudmouth who's all macho swagger.Sheri Linden
Thierry has the swagger of a man who blew off conventional wisdom and turned out just fine.Ben O'Donnell

swagger

3 of 3

adjective

: marked by elegance or showiness : posh

Examples of swagger in a Sentence

Verb He copped a plea, ratted out a dozen no-neck pals and swaggered off to prison, leaving South Beach temporarily without a pied piper. Carl Hiaasen, New York Times Book Review, 22 Feb. 2009
So it is a fight rather than an argument, really—a fight over complexity versus ease, a fight that mostly mimics gang war, which is not so much a vigorous instance of manly bloodletting (though it is that too) as a dustup over prestige: who has the prior right to swagger in public. Cynthia Ozick, Harper's, April 2007
Sometimes he sauntered through the streets of the old town. He looked with awe at the students of the corps, their cheeks gashed and red, who swaggered about in their coloured caps. W. Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage, 1915
I, too, would swagger if I'd won first place in the bowling tournament. hoping to impress the women at the bar, the young man confidently swaggered across the room Noun He limps with a noticeable swagger, flamboyantly waving his cane, semi-ironically mimicking the rap stars who are now his peers. Matt Diehl, Spin, September 2008
He greeted me with the swagger he's learned since he became a fighter pilot, smiling, his blue eyes glowing. Matthew Klam, Harper's, February 1999
What a hero Tom was become, now! He did not go skipping and prancing, but moved with a dignified swagger as became a pirate who felt that the public eye was on him. Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, 1876
He has a swagger that annoys some of his teammates.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
She’s returned for the film version, and from the moment her Regina swaggers into the school lunchroom, the actor owns this film. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2024 Progressed from loafing here and there with scant dollars in my pocket, to swaggering to and fro with a bankroll swelling my sock. Mitchell S. Jackson, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 These now seem to represent the defining traits of American lawmakers who swagger and shout with little concern for the dangerous consequences their actions set in motion. Jason Parham, WIRED, 1 Dec. 2023 With an A-list of guest vocalists, including James Murphy, The Edge, Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie and Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock, to befit Tolhurst and Budgie’s reputation, the album swaggers between industrial, post-punk, and glam rock with a confidence that did not come easily. Max Pilley, SPIN, 18 Oct. 2023 Tampa Bay allowed more than 300 passing yards in Week 1 against the Vikings, but may be swaggering behind the better-than-expected performance of quarterback Baker Mayfield. Emmanuel Morgan, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2023 Cycling through a series of high boots, Beyoncé vogued and vamped, swaggered and stampeded. Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2023 James Burke, the swaggering police chief who had been running the department since 2012, was arrested in 2015 and later convicted on federal civil rights and obstruction of justice charges. Joseph Goldstein Johnny Milano, New York Times, 20 July 2023 Stein brought Talking Heads, a cerebral CBGBs cohort of the Ramones, to Sire in 1976, then expanded the label’s roster with Chrissie Hynde’s swaggering Pretenders and the noir-ish vistas of U.K. post-punk outfit Echo & the Bunnymen. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2023
Noun
The fighter, a scrawny guy whose swagger looks put-on, hides his face in a monkey mask. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Dan + Shay’s twosome swagger was no match for Legend’s veteran status, as Olesen chose Team Legend. USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024 Then, when paired with rappers, Ty’s swagger provided enough heat to stand alongside some of the toughest cats of the time, including Kendrick Lamar, Future and Kanye. Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2024 The story of how American pro-sports jerseys—baseball and beyond—have lost some of their swagger, however, goes further than a single company. Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2024 This was definitely a must-win for us for our mojo, for our swagger. Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 28 Jan. 2024 With Pat Riley at the head on the basketball side, McCullough wanted to match that intensity yet give the games — and the players — a certain swagger that matched the 305’s aura. C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 The choice called to mind the likes of Claudia Cardinale and Ornella Muti, beloved 1950's Italian divas whose high-octane glamour popularized the luxurious allure of effort carried off with ease and swagger. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2024 In a new commercial for ZOA Energy drinks, an aerial acrobatics newbie, an overwhelmed working mom and a surgeon transform into the actor, who then completes their tasks with focus and swagger. Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swagger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective

probably from swag entry 1 + -er (as in chatter)

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1596, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swagger was circa 1596

Dictionary Entries Near swagger

Cite this Entry

“Swagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swagger. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

swagger

1 of 2 verb
swag·​ger ˈswag-ər How to pronounce swagger (audio)
swaggered; swaggering -(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce swagger (audio)
1
: to behave in a very proud manner
especially : to walk with a proud strut
2
swaggerer noun
swaggeringly adverb

swagger

2 of 2 noun
: an act or instance of swaggering

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