1
as in to horse around
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
the athletes warmed up, happily showing off for the crowd before the match officially started
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to display
to present so as to invite notice or attention
she just wants to show off her new jewelry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hotshot
informal + disapproving
a person who tries to impress other people with his or her abilities or possessions
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of show off
Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
But the 23-year-old infielder has so far taken advantage of his opportunity to show off in front of the big league staff.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 May 2025
Otherwise, this is a visually stunning chassis that will satisfy patient-building component show-offs.
—PCMAG, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for show off
Verb
Honor Honor on Sunday showed off the capabilities of its Robot Phone as the Chinese electronics firm looks to stand out from some of its bigger rivals like Samsung and Apple.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
But the 23-year-old infielder has so far taken advantage of his opportunity to show off in front of the big league staff.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
In This Article Take It Easy With Greens Pick a Combo With Staying Power
Rely On Dependable Winners
The Three Rules of Container TLC
These summer show-off container gardens will brighten up any porch or patio all season long—even in the Southern heat.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 May 2025
Otherwise, this is a visually stunning chassis that will satisfy patient-building component show-offs.
—PCMAG, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for show off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for show off
Verb
-
Bevel was horsing around with the Reverend James Orange and Andy Young in the courtyard under King's balcony, according to Orange.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
-
In April 2020, Iglesias shared a video of him horsing around with Lucy and Nicholas as the pair attempted to climb on his back for a ride.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Elections Administration voting center map displays the wait times for each party.—
Rachel Royster
Updated March 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Mar. 2026
-
This content can only be displayed if JavaScript is enabled.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When Choi Seon-chul, a hotshot at a rival paper firm says he's swamped at work, Man-su tells him to faint so the higher-ups will hire Man-su to help divvy up the work.—
Sarah Jackson,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2026
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This early moment in mid-February belongs to Benge, the 23-year-old hotshot prospect who has a chance at cracking the Mets’ roster.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Her voice is intimate and resonant, whether cut up into indistinct background flurries or pushed to the front of the mix.—
Alex Robert Ross,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Such a potato is cut up into sections, each having a sprout or two.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Iran’s ‘existential war of survival’ Analysts say the incidents show the war could expand to affect the alliance.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
-
These AIs have shown behaviors as varied as deception and blackmail, to scheming and cheating by hacking software.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The wise guys already view Denver suspiciously, casting them with the 12th-best odds to reach the Super Bowl next February.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
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Framing wise guys on murder charges for Whitey Bulger, looking the other way on a gangland hit by a BPD detective in Canton in 1976, the list of scandals is too great to even list them all.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Bella Ramsey takes a break from killing zombies and avenging father figures, their usual pastimes in series The Last of Us, to fool around and fall in love in Sunny Dancer, a decidedly uneven but fitfully charming, YA-skewed British comedy-drama.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The classic posture is that the CEO needs to exhibit charisma, which is often characterized as boisterous, dominant and loud.—
Neil Senturia,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
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Louise Trotter’s second runway collection for Bottega Veneta rooted in Milanese Brutalism was a stunning example of her visual artistry while exhibiting an extraordinary use of material.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Show off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/show%20off. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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