as in cowhands
a hired hand who tends cattle or horses at a ranch or on the range
cowboys were rounding up the cattle for branding
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cowboys
The move to North Main Street brought more Stockyards visitors and cowboys headed to Billy Bob’s Texas or the coliseum rodeos.
—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 June 2026
Before Black rodeos disappeared from the local calendar, cowboys and cowgirls from around the country regularly traveled to Kansas City to compete.
—
J.m. Banks
june 24,
Kansas City Star,
24 June 2026
Or you, also modern cowboys too.
—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
All these cowboys are starting to get along!
—
William Earl,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Mexican and then Portuguese cowboys known as paniolos came to work here; later, agricultural workers arrived from China, Japan, Micronesia, and the Philippines.
—
Julie Orringer,
Travel + Leisure,
9 June 2026
And they’ve been worn by working cowboys and just about every Western wannabe in the country.
—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
In 1956, at a time when Black cowboys weren’t allowed to compete in rodeos, Charles LeBlanc wrangled 22 Black farmers and ranchers to create the Okmulgee County Roundup Club, an organization that would go on to launch the Okmulgee All Colored Rodeo.
—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Think shows that include Argentine cowboys known as gauchos, Brazilian samba dancers, West African (Moko Jumbie) stilt walkers.
—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 June 2026
Before Black rodeos disappeared from the local calendar, cowboys and cowgirls from around the country regularly traveled to Kansas City to compete.
—
J.m. Banks
june 24,
Kansas City Star,
24 June 2026
Or you, also modern cowboys too.
—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
All these cowboys are starting to get along!
—
William Earl,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Mexican and then Portuguese cowboys known as paniolos came to work here; later, agricultural workers arrived from China, Japan, Micronesia, and the Philippines.
—
Julie Orringer,
Travel + Leisure,
9 June 2026
And they’ve been worn by working cowboys and just about every Western wannabe in the country.
—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
In 1956, at a time when Black cowboys weren’t allowed to compete in rodeos, Charles LeBlanc wrangled 22 Black farmers and ranchers to create the Okmulgee County Roundup Club, an organization that would go on to launch the Okmulgee All Colored Rodeo.
—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Think shows that include Argentine cowboys known as gauchos, Brazilian samba dancers, West African (Moko Jumbie) stilt walkers.
—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowboys
cowhands
Noun
-
There are plenty of places to take a horse, with experienced cowhands to guide the way.
-
Now, the ranch is proactively using drones equipped with speakers and bright lights as stand-in cowhands, WSJ reported.
Cite this Entry
“Cowboys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowboys. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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