swashbuckling

adjective

swash·​buck·​ling ˈswäsh-ˌbə-k(ə-)liŋ 

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

Portofino Tower is an iconic, if a little unhip, South of Fifth luxury complex that’s long been home to Miami Beach’s swashbuckling finance types. —Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 3 Apr. 2026

When Millennials think about The Mummy, Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz's swashbuckling adventure film series often comes to mind, more so than what Hollywood legend Boris Karloff did in the role of Imhotep in the 1930s. —Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Apr. 2026

Ben Manenti and opener Justin Mosca then added 92 in 48 balls, with the former’s swashbuckling half-century giving Italy hope of pulling off a shock win. —ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026

But recently, a more swashbuckling caste had begun to infiltrate its stacks. —Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

swashbuckler

First Known Use

circa 1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for swashbuckling

• buckling
• chuckling
• duckling

Kids Definition

swashbuckling

adjective

swash·​buck·​ling ˈswäsh-ˌbək-(ə-)liŋ 

ˈswȯsh-

1

: acting in the manner of a swashbuckler

2

: characteristic of, marked by, or done by swashbucklers

swashbuckling adventure

a swashbuckling tale