showboat

1 of 2

noun

show·​boat ˈshō-ˌbōt How to pronounce showboat (audio)
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

2 of 2

verb

showboated; showboating; showboats

intransitive verb

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Still, the factor that may have been most harmful were his relationships with fellow Republican lawmakers, who regarded him as an empty showboat willing to hurt the party to gain attention. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024 Fonseca found Barbosa to be a showboat on Instagram, sure, but also unfailingly polite and generous. Lauren Smiley, WIRED, 10 July 2024
Verb
Not even the biggest skeptic of American exceptionalism could deny the talent gap, which has often been so considerable that U.S. teams often take the opportunity to showboat during games, like the Harlem Globetrotters playing against the hapless Washington Generals. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 31 July 2024 One thing that took away from Santos' performance was his willingness to showboat instead of looking for a finish. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for showboat 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of showboat was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near showboat

Cite this Entry

“Showboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/showboat. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

showboat

noun
show·​boat
ˈshō-ˌbōt
: a river steamboat used as a traveling theater

More from Merriam-Webster on showboat

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