show off 1 of 2

verb

Definition of show offnext
1
as in to horse around
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior the athletes warmed up, happily showing off for the crowd before the match officially started

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to display
to present so as to invite notice or attention she just wants to show off her new jewelry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

show-off

2 of 2

noun

as in hotshot
informal + disapproving a person who tries to impress other people with his or her abilities or possessions

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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 show off
Verb
On TikTok, subscribers post under #amctheatres, showing off their trips through the A-List priority line near the concession counter. — Sofia Distefano, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2026 Perhaps what inspires charity in some people is not a desire to help but the wish to show off. — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
Noun
But there’s value to the subtle, occasional mention of an appropriate insider name, a gesture that’s more like a secret handshake than the work of an oafish show-off. — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2025 Luxury can sometimes be interpreted as someone, who is a show-off. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for show off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for show off
  1. horse around
  2. display
  3. hotshot
  4. cut up
  5. show
  6. wise guy
  7. fool around
  8. exhibit
Verb
  • And lo, that’s how The Godfather wound up horsing around on a bouncy sorta-rap cut with London’s club muse and scene gadfly Normski.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Also, don’t get too out of control horsing around with friends in the water.
    — John Natale, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of horse around
Verb
  • Jax, a tremendous force at 6-0, 260, displays impressive power, strength, and mobility as an agile powerhouse athlete.
    — James Varsallone, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Today, the restaurant features drawings and paintings by Curtis Archie, an artist Kneeland met approximately three years ago while looking for artwork to display during Black History Month.
    — J.M. Banks November 10, Kansas City Star, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of display
Noun
  • In 2006, real-estate hotshot Andrew Kissel was found murdered in his Connecticut home.
    — Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Next, ground crews, including the Navajo hotshots, will start hand and aerial ignitions, the department said.
    — Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hotshot
Verb
  • Californios’ reign began to vanish even before the discovery of gold, when droughts and floods wiped out their easygoing livelihoods, and their lands were cut up, sold off, and their land grants swept aside by the new state.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The board's original proposal called for cutting up to 18 English learner teachers across the district.
    — Beret Leone, CBS News, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of cut up
Verb
  • Miami Beach code compliance officers also checked on the polling station at least six times for possible loud music and signage code adherence pertaining to Basabe, although no violations were issued, records show.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
  • MaxPreps records show Beyer finished 0-10 in 2018, 2021 and 2022.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of show
Noun
  • Chalfant plays Aunt Sister Donna of Compassionate Trinity, Chickie and Doreen’s paternal aunt, who is mean as spit and tougher than any wise guy on the block.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Here’s a look at what each team in the NFC North has done in free agency, and how the wise guys in Las Vegas currently rank the division.
    — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of wise guy
Verb
  • As Marshall and Alice consider one another and then start to fool around, the sequence feels organic and dangerous without being forced.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Another horny couple on vacation couldn’t wait until their flight landed to fool around and insisted on doing so in the plane's cabin.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of fool around
Verb
  • However, those who used GENUS exhibited less brain atrophy than the control group.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
  • That’s a long enough baseline for a far-out world to exhibit significant orbital motion.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of exhibit

Browse Nearby Words

shown up (for)
show off
show-off
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Show off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/show%20off. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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