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

But beneath the amber glow of rope lighting, truck drivers mix with renowned producers, world travelers, barbecue pit masters and one dapper gentleman sporting a bow-tie, a gold masons ring and a handle of Hennessy. —Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026

Johnson, decked out in a dapper tux, cheered. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2026

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

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