as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
a cavalier and pompous boss, indifferent to the feelings of her subordinates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in gentleman
an honorable and courteous man
a novel about the dashing cavaliers and gracious ladies of the South before the Civil War
Synonyms & Similar 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 cavalier
Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 17 Feb. 2026
Nikola Jokic was cavalier with the ball, and the Cavaliers took advantage.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2024
The change aims to clamp down on many crypto investors’ cavalier—and sometimes criminal—tax avoidance.
—Laura Saunders, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for cavalier
Adjective
Students are cavalier about turning AI writing in to me.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 17 Feb. 2026
Nikola Jokic was cavalier with the ball, and the Cavaliers took advantage.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
Opal is described as a 5-pound red/brown cavapoo — a mix of a King Charles cavalier and a poodle.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2024
The change aims to clamp down on many crypto investors’ cavalier—and sometimes criminal—tax avoidance.
—Laura Saunders, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for cavalier
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cavalier
Adjective
-
The tricky part of being a celebrity like Firstman on the internet is that some people can conflate your comedic persona (which is maybe a little arrogant, a little colorful) with your real identity.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
-
Hunter is stubborn, arrogant and gifted enough to play for the Briar hockey team, yet refuses to for reasons the show has yet to reveal.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Either way, Netflix respectfully disagrees with the honorable gentleman from the former Republic of Texas, to put it nicely.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
-
This gentleman, unfortunately, succumbed to natural causes.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cavalier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavalier. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
