cockier; cockiest
1
: boldly or brashly self-confident
a cocky young actor
he is invariably a smug and cocky stuffed shirtJames Thurber
2
: jaunty
cockily adverb
cockiness noun

Examples of cocky in a Sentence

Don't get too cocky about your chances of getting the job. a cocky young actor who thought that he was God's gift to the theater
Recent Examples on the Web In the follow-up to the 1996 blockbuster Twister, the Anyone But You star, 35, plays Tyler Owens, a cocky storm chaser who posts his adventures on social media. Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 3 May 2024 And here the show over-delivers thanks to the loose-limbed physical-comedy ace Billy Harrigan Tighe and his memorable performance as Tucker, Cassandra’s cocky finance-bro ex. Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cocky 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cocky.' 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

see cock entry 1

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cocky was in 1768

Dictionary Entries Near cocky

Cite this Entry

“Cocky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cocky. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

cocky

adjective
cockier; cockiest
1
: being too sure of oneself
2
: jaunty
cockily adverb
cockiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cocky

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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