showboat

noun

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show·boat | \ ˈshō-ˌbōt

Definition of showboat

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a river steamship containing a theater and carrying a troupe of actors to give plays at river communities

2 : one who tries to attract attention by conspicuous behavior

showboat

verb

showboated; showboating; showboats

Definition of showboat (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to behave in a conspicuous or ostentatious manner : show off

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Examples of showboat in a Sentence

Noun The fans like him, but the other players think he's a showboat. Verb She was showboating for the cameras when she tripped and fell. the gymnast was showboating for the cameras when she lost her balance and fell

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun With the help of the late William D. Bowell Sr., the founder of the Padelford Packet Boat Co. in St. Paul, a new showboat was constructed and moored at Harriet Island. — Josh Verges, Twin Cities, "‘It’s on the move.’ Centennial Showboat finally leaves St. Paul for Winona," 16 Sep. 2019 In 2000, the showboat was destroyed by fire during a renovation project. — Josh Verges, Twin Cities, "‘It’s on the move.’ Centennial Showboat finally leaves St. Paul for Winona," 16 Sep. 2019 The Titanium is the showboat, with more safety features and conveniences, starting at $33,715 (front-drive). — San Diego Union-Tribune, "2019 Ford Escape: Last of a generation," 12 Aug. 2019 These rough-hewn showboats of the log drive are put together at the upper end of the river and follow the riverjacks downstream—tying up along the bank each night. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "The Lost Art of Floating Logs Down the River," 16 Feb. 2019 While the Democratic House anguished over articles of impeachment and wasted time on showboat-y oversight hearings, Trump could lament their obstruction and radicalism. — Chris Stirewalt, Fox News, "No, free market conservatives are not becoming Dems," 31 July 2018 Just like the living, ghosts can also be showboats. — Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, "A Beginner’s Guide to Communicating With Spirits on the Other Side," 19 June 2018 Yes, Weegee wasn’t only a showboat but a man with an eye for black humor. — Sarah Boxer, New York Times, "Weegee the Famous: The Master of Down-and-Dirty Street Photography," 1 June 2018 Built in 1908 by Greenwood businessman and mayor, Stage Marye, the 5,177-square-foot single-family home was designed to resemble the showboats that traversed the Yazoo and the mighty Mississippi. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "For $65,000, This Once-Grand Mississippi Mansion is Now The Ultimate Fixer Upper," 16 Apr. 2018 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Bill Pullman is the Bilott team’s showboating West Virginia trial lawyer, who celebrates success in the courtroom by snapping his suspenders with satisfaction. — David Sims, The Atlantic, "A Chilling True Story of Corporate Indifference," 22 Nov. 2019 Fingers a-flutter, Marsalis confidently flew through composer Jacques Ibert’s flamboyant solo section — making sure his virtuosity was that of musicianship, not showboating. — Matthew J. Palm, orlandosentinel.com, "Branford Marsalis brings lyricism, dexterity to Orlando Philharmonic opener | Review," 29 Sep. 2019 The main negatives for me are showboating and mascots. — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "Was baseball better 50 years ago? Chronicle readers weigh in," 21 Sep. 2019 Their duel had something often lacking in this memorable era of men’s tennis: an edge, as Kyrgios showboated and intentionally smacked balls at Nadal’s body, ignoring the glares that Nadal sometimes fired back. — Christopher Clarey, New York Times, "Rafael Nadal Doesn’t Fall for Nick Kyrgios’s Bag of Tricks," 4 July 2019 Spedding, new guitarist Tom Vanstiphout and saxophonist Jorja Chalmers were particularly combustible—while never showboating or pulling focus from Ferry. — Melinda Newman, Billboard, "Bryan Ferry Captivates at Los Angeles' Greek Theater with Roxy Music and Solo Hits," 30 Aug. 2019 There are no showboating gestures here, only a bone-deep commitment to showing us the lives of individuals often relegated to the cinematic sidelines, to the extent that the movies even notice them all. — Los Angeles Times, "Review: ‘Give Me Liberty’ is a brilliant madcap farce on wheels," 29 Aug. 2019 Representatives at these hearings often showboat, but the Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee worked surprisingly well together Wednesday morning. — Hal Boedeker, orlandosentinel.com, "Robert Mueller goes just-the-facts route," 24 July 2019 Mr Johnson’s shambolic, showboating style is not just a way of getting his message across. — The Economist, "Prime Minister Boris Johnson fulfils his dream," 23 July 2019

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

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Last Updated

22 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Showboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/showboat. Accessed 19 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for showboat

showboat

noun

English Language Learners Definition of showboat

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a large boat that has a theater and a group of performers and that gives plays at towns and cities along a river

chiefly US, informal + usually disapproving : a person (such as an athlete) who behaves or performs in a way that is meant to attract the attention of a lot of people

showboat

verb

English Language Learners Definition of showboat (Entry 2 of 2)

chiefly US, informal + usually disapproving : to behave or perform in a way that is meant to attract the attention of a lot of people

See the full definition for showboat in the English Language Learners Dictionary

showboat

noun

show·boat | \ ˈshō-ˌbōt