cowboy

noun cow·boy \ ˈkau̇-ˌbȯi \

Definition of cowboy

1 :one who tends cattle or horses; especially :a usually mounted cattle-ranch hand

2 :a rodeo performer

3 :one having qualities (such as recklessness, aggressiveness, or independence) popularly associated with cowboys: such as

a :a reckless driver

b :a business or businessperson operating in an uncontrolled or unregulated manner

See cowboy defined for English-language learners

See cowboy defined for kids

Examples of cowboy in a Sentence

a movie about cowboys in the old West
He worked for several years as a cowboy on a ranch in Texas.
We've got a bunch of risk-taking cowboys running this project.

Recent Examples of cowboy from the Web

The February 1953 edition featured a photograph of a black couple trying on souvenir cowboy hats.

— mitchel p. roth, Smithsonian, "Desegregation Came Early at the Texas Prison Rodeo," 30 Aug. 2017
Come Labor Day weekend, boots, cowboy hats and line dancing will trump chancletas (flip-flops,) guayaberas and salsa moves in Miami’s first major country music festival.

— carli teproff, miamiherald, "Move over, salsa. Country music festival making its Miami debut.," 25 Aug. 2017
On a recent afternoon, a man wearing a cowboy hat and carrying an assault rifle stood in plain sight on the main boulevard in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood, five miles from Acapulco Bay.

— joshua partlow, Washington Post, "Acapulco is now Mexico’s murder capital," 24 Aug. 2017
The whip-cracking, cowboy-hat-wearing deputy prime minister has made a reputation as a blunt-talking straight-shooter, both in Australia and abroad.

— jason scott, Bloomberg.com, "The Unusual Law Imperiling Australian Politicians," 16 Aug. 2017
A cowboy suit, a wind-up train on a track, roller skates, and every teen’s favorite: Chuck Taylor All-Stars and a satin blue and gold warm-up jacket, the Home school’s colors.

— kristina goetz, The Courier-Journal, "Orphans come back to ‘The Home’ that took them in when no one else could," 20 July 2017
Send tips, comments, and a black cowboy hat to rebecca_keegan@condenast.com.

— vanityfair.com, "The Game of Thrones Follow-Up Making People Cringe," 20 July 2017
The president took his time checking out products from all over the country: Trump donned a cowboy hat from Texas.

— Washington Post, "Trump wants new NAFTA deal to cut trade deficit with Mexico," 17 July 2017
Elliott, 73, known for his bushy mustache as well as for his cowboy, biker, and military characters, currently stars in the Netflix series The Ranch.

— samantha drake, Country Living, "Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross Are One of Hollywood's Most Enduring Couples," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cowboy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

In the American West, a horseman skilled at handling cattle is called a cowboy. From ca.1820, cowboys were employed in small numbers on Texas ranches. After the Civil War, their numbers rapidly multiplied as cattle-raising evolved into a lucrative industry throughout the western territories. Cowboys rounded up and branded the cattle, kept watch over the herd, and drove those ready for market to railroad towns. As the agricultural frontier moved west, the open range was transformed into farms, and by 1890 cowboys had been forced to settle on ranches. The romance of their image lives on in American folklore and through movies and television.

First Known Use of cowboy

1623

cowboy Synonyms

Synonyms

buckaroo (also buckeroo), cowhand, cowman, cowpoke, cowpuncher, waddy (or waddie) [West], wrangler

Related Words

cowgirl; caballero [chiefly Southwest], gaucho, vaquero; horseman, horsewoman; cattleman, rancher, stockman; cowherd, drover, herder, herdsman

cowboy

verb

Definition of cowboy

intransitive verb

:to work as a cowboy

cowboyed in Texas and Oklahoma

See cowboy defined for English-language learners

Examples of cowboy in a Sentence

He cowboyed in Texas and Oklahoma.

Recent Examples of cowboy from the Web

Sam Hunt cowboys up Sam Hunt brought the party with him Friday night.

— cindy watts and adam tamburin, USA TODAY, "Friday at CMA Music Festival: Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini," 10 June 2017
Sam Hunt cowboys up Sam Hunt brought the party with him Friday night.

— cindy watts and adam tamburin, USA TODAY, "Friday at CMA Music Festival: Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini," 10 June 2017

First Known Use of cowboy

1925

COWBOY Defined for English Language Learners

cowboy

noun

Definition of cowboy for English Language Learners

: a man who rides a horse and whose job is to take care of cows or horses especially in the western U.S.
: a man who performs in a rodeo
: someone who has qualities that are commonly associated with the cowboys in movies; especially : someone who does things that other people consider foolish and dangerous