1
as in to boast
to praise or express pride in one's own possessions, qualities, or accomplishments often to excess
I, too, would swagger if I'd won first place in the bowling tournament
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to strut
to walk with exaggerated arm and leg movements
hoping to impress the women at the bar, the young man confidently swaggered across the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in chic
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in bravado
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of swagger
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
This skinny kid from Norman, Oklahoma, swaggering up and down the court.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
The swagger Chelsea had not seen for so long was back.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
When fully locked in, LSU offers must-see hooping with unmatched swagger.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for swagger
Verb
The timing of such self-reflection was notable, on the direct horizon of an AFC divisional-round matchup against a Bills team that’ll require calls-to-the-wall swaggering from Payton.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
This skinny kid from Norman, Oklahoma, swaggering up and down the court.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Stella crossed the street and loitered outside the store window displaying haughty mannequins flaunting swagger coats.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
The swagger Chelsea had not seen for so long was back.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
Under Vitello, the Volunteers were defined by confidence, passion, and swagger.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
When fully locked in, LSU offers must-see hooping with unmatched swagger.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for swagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swagger
Verb
-
By the first week of December, Olsson boasted seven goals in five matches, becoming the first player in WSL history to score four goals in her first five starts.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
This year, Senegal boasts a strong roster, led by the star forward Sadio Mané.—
Albert Samaha,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But between strutting around like a rock god, Michael presented nuanced and sophisticated looks at lust.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Make your way to our festival headquarters before the screenings begin, strutting through the French Quarter in style behind a demonic brass band, creepy characters both familiar and unknown, and you.—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For his debut, Bellotti laid a chic foundation—reworking the house’s signature double-faced coats in ultra-fine leather and introducing tailoring accented with sleek, unexpected cutouts at the hip.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The result is a chic outfit that’s modern and sophisticated.—
Clare Holden,
Glamour,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But the second half stretches out in more interesting creative directions, compared to the straightforward bravado of the first half.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Walking past the McDonald’s parking lot felt like navigating a minefield of beef and bravado.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lindell bragged of spending millions to combat election fraud.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Dick’s friend was bragging about his kid’s academic prowess.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the group hopped and grunted, Keuilian strode through the room with a video crew, shooting a Squire promo (two takes).—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Yordan Alvarez strode to the plate.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
It was well appointed and modern, with a sleek and nicely stocked wet bar, and curtains that swiftly opened or closed at the touch of a button.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Low Tow prototype also includes a sleek indoor corner kitchen with slim rectangular sink, dual-burner induction cooktop and 12-V compressor fridge.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Money and jealousy are the root of the play’s evils, with more deadly sins released in a world of posh, uppity arrogance.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In a study with 355 participants, the authors narrowed their list to 16 warning signs that predicted violence that occurred within six months — many of them having to do with entitlement, arrogance, control and emotional immaturity.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swagger. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
