as in wise
displaying or marked by rude boldness
a cocky young actor who thought that he was God's gift to the theater
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Recent Examples of cocky
Matthews too recalled Salamone as abrasive and cocky.
—
J.c. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 13 Jan. 2026
That album was all about funk, swagger, and celebration, with Mars positioning himself as the lovable, slightly cocky entertainer bringing the good times.
—Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Marty Supreme follows a wildly gifted, unapologetically cocky aspiring table tennis superstar named Marty Mauser (Chalamet), grinding it in Lower Manhattan circa 1952.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
As a rule, cornerbacks are a cocky bunch and thus good at pressers.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocky
J.c. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 13 Jan. 2026
That album was all about funk, swagger, and celebration, with Mars positioning himself as the lovable, slightly cocky entertainer bringing the good times.
—Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Marty Supreme follows a wildly gifted, unapologetically cocky aspiring table tennis superstar named Marty Mauser (Chalamet), grinding it in Lower Manhattan circa 1952.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
As a rule, cornerbacks are a cocky bunch and thus good at pressers.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cocky
Adjective
-
Gardens of all sizes include water-wise, ornamental and edible plants, natives, succulents, views, chickens, canyons, orchards and more.—
Martina Schimitschek,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Chief among them is the late and especially great Dame Maggie Smith, who gave one of her most powerful and enduring performances as the prim and wise Violet Crawley.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Beane was so cocksure Allen’s solo act would work again that the GM made only minor moves to improve the offense.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Set on a white-run construction site in West Africa, the story follows an edgy foreman anxiously awaiting his bride, whose presence meets resistance from a cocksure engineer clinging to the hyper-masculine status quo.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Malinin’s confidence would be insolent if his acrobatics weren’t so astonishing.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The fox would once have crushed this insolent creature with a swipe of her paw.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
19 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Both cats share a sassy, bold personality.—
Ryan Brennan
March 4,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Both cats share a sassy and bold personality, show affection in similar ways, love dogs, are fascinated by water, dislike other cats and take a long time to warm up to people.—
Ryan Brennan
March 4,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Her tenure will be remembered by her brazen corruption, the reckless exploitation of vulnerable families to advance a far-right agenda, and willingness to put the President's interests over those of the American people.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
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At the same time, Friedmann was brazen.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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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The men’s capsule imbues the same collegiate spirit, with polos and shirting in sprightly patterns—albeit, slightly bolder than women’s—alongside said new take on the retailer’s windproof blouson, in khaki, sand and navy, plus relaxed sports shorts.—
Alice Cary,
Vogue,
3 Mar. 2026
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With his new Inside Out Denim Collection, Flanigan reimagines timeless denim staples through a bold, conceptual lens—proving that everyday wear can still feel elevated and intentional.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Crockett began to cultivate a national profile with a prime-time speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention and has since become one of her party’s most popular messengers, using an often brash communication style to manufacture viral moments.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The coolest music can be the busiest and brashest.—
Mano Sundaresan,
Pitchfork,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cocky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cocky. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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