1
as in cocky
displaying or marked by rude boldness
his cocksure assertion that only he could solve the problem
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2
as in confident
having or showing a mind free from doubt
you're always so cocksure about everything
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cocksure
Yann Gael, Roger Sallah and Mentor Ba entertain as tough guy gunslingers, but their cocksure attitude is tested when a paranormal foe threatens them and their stash of gold.
—
Thomas Page, CNN, 23 Sep. 2022
From the start, Mr. Koecher was at once brilliant and hard to take—cocksure and certain that he was destined for great things.
—Edward Kosner, WSJ, 25 Aug. 2022
So cocksure are they, even their hair seems to swagger.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2022
Craig Kilborn, the fratty cocksure original host of The Daily Show, had gotten his big call-up from CBS to host the late-night slot following David Letterman’s, which was one of two jobs Stewart didn’t get.
—Devin Gordon, The Atlantic, 21 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for cocksure
Thomas Page, CNN, 23 Sep. 2022
From the start, Mr. Koecher was at once brilliant and hard to take—cocksure and certain that he was destined for great things.
—Edward Kosner, WSJ, 25 Aug. 2022
So cocksure are they, even their hair seems to swagger.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2022
Craig Kilborn, the fratty cocksure original host of The Daily Show, had gotten his big call-up from CBS to host the late-night slot following David Letterman’s, which was one of two jobs Stewart didn’t get.
—Devin Gordon, The Atlantic, 21 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for cocksure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cocksure
Adjective
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Liner is Reid Collins, who toes the line between confident and cocky.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
22 Sep. 2025
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Since his days as the cocky but lovable Shane Gray in Camp Rock, Joe Jonas has carved out a multifaceted career.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Stankonia collaborators remember Outkast feeling confident during recording sessions for their fourth studio album, which has been lauded for bringing the Dirty South hip-hop sensibility to such genres as funk, gospel and psychedelia.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
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But the Cardinals' legend is confident that the underdog can come out on top.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There are many layers that get peeled back in this wise film.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
30 Sep. 2025
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That won’t be the case every week, but Diggs looks up to speed — healthy and chemistry-wise — which puts him in the WR3/4 conversation and gives that Boutte the boot.—
Jake Ciely,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Saints, Panthers Arizona somehow turned an interception into a touchdown for their opponent and fumbled away another sure touchdown in a bad, bad loss on Sunday.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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There’s also a 50% chance of rain on Monday and 60% chance of rain on Tuesday, sure to add to the water already backed up in the street.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Gemma reluctantly agrees to rebuild her impudent robot in a new body, and the sequel ends with an explosive showdown between Amelia and M3GAN, who nearly dies in a noble attempt to save Gemma and her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw).—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
29 June 2025
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Fortunately, Snow White’s newfound enlightenment does not deny her the possibility of romance, although princes are now strictly off-limits; her love interest here is a fetchingly impudent bandit, Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who is leading a scrappy rebellion against the Evil Queen.—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Beautiful, not perfect; Alex can be rude, insolent, and subject to wild emotional swings and failures of decorum and logic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
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The movie’s startling originality is in its spirit, its insolent ironies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement Last week’s brazen Israeli airstrikes against Hamas negotiators in Doha turbocharged those anxieties.—
Firas Maksad,
Time,
25 Sep. 2025
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Read All About It A Missouri woman was sentenced to more than four years in prison in a brazen and blundering attempt to steal Graceland from the family of Elvis Presley.—
Christian Orozco,
NBC news,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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With it, Pierpaolo explores the space between fabric and body, where the air between them becomes a third dimension and a vital component of their construction to create bold and unexpected shapes.—
Alex Wynne,
Footwear News,
5 Oct. 2025
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Cowboy meatloaf is just like your regular weeknight dish, but with bold, smokey swagger.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cocksure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cocksure. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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