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
In conversation, Cornish-Dale is cocky but likable, with a languorous way of speaking that reminded me of Simon Cowell.
—
Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Stand-up comedian Andrew Schulz also joined the Street Fighter cast as Dan Hibiki, who was first introduced in Street Fighter Alpha and is characterized as being obnoxiously cocky.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
There’s a lot of, kind of hockey player archetypes — the flashy, cocky European superstar, that’s definitely a type.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
The town’s overflowing with charming Midwest eccentrics, including a cocky mayor (Henry Winkler) and a welcoming barkeep (Lena Headey).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocky
Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Stand-up comedian Andrew Schulz also joined the Street Fighter cast as Dan Hibiki, who was first introduced in Street Fighter Alpha and is characterized as being obnoxiously cocky.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
There’s a lot of, kind of hockey player archetypes — the flashy, cocky European superstar, that’s definitely a type.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
The town’s overflowing with charming Midwest eccentrics, including a cocky mayor (Henry Winkler) and a welcoming barkeep (Lena Headey).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cocky
Adjective
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Lundgren shares some wise words about how being a man is more than muscles, and about getting in front of himself — which doesn't make sense at the time, but will later.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
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This being Maine, a few wise alecks believed Bangor Black Flies would be a fitting name.—
Steve Buckley,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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Ruben, meanwhile, is cocksure and charismatic but has a criminal record and a tendency toward violence.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
7 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Meanwhile, the insolent and hyper-confident Ruben (Stuart Campbell as a teen and Gadd as a grown-up) has been in trouble with the law from a tender age.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Malinin’s confidence would be insolent if his acrobatics weren’t so astonishing.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The screenplay from Christina Friel and Connor Wright tosses out the right sassy quips while the drag star-dominant cast get a bodacious opportunity to dance and sing, all making this an E-ticket ride that’s impossible to sashay away from without a big smile on your face.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
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Season 12 also marks the introduction of the best Big Brother addition ever with the Zingbot, a sassy wisecracking robot who shows up for the sole purpose of roasting the contestants.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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In May, the brazen murder of a small-city mayor, allegedly by the CJNG, prompted angry protests targeting symbols of the state, which many residents accused of failing to combat spiraling violence.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
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Over time, their recruitment efforts became more brazen.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Mantello wasn’t being impudent.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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His first goal was pretty enough, an inch-perfect sidefoot just inside Donnarumma’s far post, but his second was a work of impudent art.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Now redone for Knicks fans, the shoe features a vibrant blue canvas upper accompanied by Vans’ signature checkerboard pattern refreshed in bold orange — bringing together the distinctive color combination that defines the New York team.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
8 June 2026
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There remains something to be said for bold strokes.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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There’s a one-note quality to the film’s comedy that grows steadily, even deliberately, more abrasive over two hours, but the sad, brash, gradually shrinking bigness of the personalities at its center holds your attention.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
4 June 2026
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All my coaches growing up were brash.—
LaTroy Hawkins,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cocky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cocky. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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