swashbuckling

adjective

swash·​buck·​ling ˈswäsh-ˌbə-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce swashbuckling (audio)
ˈswȯsh-
1
: acting in the manner of a swashbuckler
2
: characteristic of, marked by, or done by swashbucklers

Examples of swashbuckling in a Sentence

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.
Desperate to be a big guy, SpongeBob sets out to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs by following The Flying Dutchman — a mysterious swashbuckling ghost pirate — on a seafaring comedy-adventure that takes him to the deepest depths of the deep sea, where no Sponge has gone before. Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025 The shift accelerated in the late 1970s, as news divisions were restructured to prioritize profits and ratings, and a new generation of swashbuckling TV executives, such as Roone Arledge at ABC and Ted Turner at CNN, emerged. Time, 10 Sep. 2025 Tottenham scored two or more goals in each of Postecoglou’s first seven games as manager, earning plaudits for their swashbuckling brand of football. Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 The former Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney that has doubled as a Star Wars outpost could be turned into a safe harbor watering hole on a swashbuckling voyage. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for swashbuckling

Word History

Etymology

swashbuckler

First Known Use

circa 1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of swashbuckling was circa 1693

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Cite this Entry

“Swashbuckling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swashbuckling. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

swashbuckling

adjective
swash·​buck·​ling ˈswäsh-ˌbək-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce swashbuckling (audio)
ˈswȯsh-
1
: acting in the manner of a swashbuckler
2
: characteristic of, marked by, or done by swashbucklers
swashbuckling adventure
a swashbuckling tale

More from Merriam-Webster on swashbuckling

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