dapper

adjective

dap·​per ˈda-pər 

1

a

: neat and trim in appearance

looked very dapper in their uniforms

b

: very spruce and stylish

a dapper new suit

2

: alert and lively in movement and manners

a dapper old gentleman

dapperly adverb

dapperness noun

Synonyms of dapper

• elegant
• smart
• stylish
• fashionable
• natty

Examples of dapper in a Sentence

The students all looked very dapper in their uniforms.

the dapper gentleman drew admiring glances from all over the ballroom

Recent Examples on the Web

Ethan Hawke looked dapper while posing with wife Ryan Hawke. —Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026

The man of the hour looked as dapper as ever in a classic black tuxedo with a crisp white button-down shirt, white pocket square, and diamond brooch. —Christina Perrier, InStyle, 11 Jan. 2026

Damson Idris looked effortlessly dapper in a double-breasted Prada suit paired with a classic black bow tie. —Mecca Pryor, Essence, 11 Jan. 2026

From leading ladies like Myha’la and Eva Victor, to dapper gents like Archie Madekwe and Christopher Briney, these are the stars who are having a buzzy moment in Hollywood. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 28 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dapyr, from Middle Dutch dapper quick, strong; akin to Old High German tapfar heavy, Old Church Slavic debelŭ thick

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for dapper

• capper
• clapper
• flapper
• kapur
• mapper
• napper
• rapper
• sapper
• snapper
• tapper
• trapper
• wrapper

Kids Definition

dapper

adjective

dap·​per ˈdap-ər 

1

: being neat and trim in dress or appearance : spruce

2

: being alert and lively in movement and manners