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

Example Sentences

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 The pattern over the past century has revealed a continuum of sorts: hugely successful media giants dominating the entertainment scene, growing fat and cocky, dismissive of upstart competitors, followed by a humbling slide toward marginalization, if not outright irrelevance. Bill Carter For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, 1 June 2022 So, LeBron James, your Lakers have just defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA’s play-in game on Tuesday night and have advanced to the first round of the playoffs to face the young, brash and cocky Memphis Grizzlies. Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2023 Such generalized prose relies on us already knowing how Ryan and his cocky crew pose with studied nonchalance, how pandemonium breaks out in the hall of lockers between classes, and especially how a savvy girl suspends the knowledge that the object of her devotion is a cad. Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2022 His social media teems with self-deprecating dad humor, and he’s revealed his amusingly cocky side, ridiculing teams that passed him over in free agency and good-naturedly taunting rivals like Aaron Rodgers. Jason Gay, WSJ, 28 Sep. 2021 Too short, too slow and too cocky. Marla Ridenour, USA TODAY, 6 July 2022 This team is young, confident and cocky. Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 22 Jan. 2023 Look confident but not cocky. Callum Borchers, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022 His cocky, abrasive personality didn’t help. Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2022 See More

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 7 Jun. 2023.

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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