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
Relevance
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
as in hotshot
informal + disapproving
a person who tries to impress other people with his or her abilities or possessions
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of show off
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Some of the plants featured show off blue undertones, while others are more yellow in nature.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 17 Apr. 2026
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 May 2025
Otherwise, this is a visually stunning chassis that will satisfy patient-building component show-offs.
—PCMAG, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for show off
Verb
Paramount wasted no time showing off the Stranger Things creators in the studio’s glitzy, big-budget mini-movie celebrating its movie history and looking at the future.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Some of the plants featured show off blue undertones, while others are more yellow in nature.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
In This Article Take It Easy With Greens Pick a Combo With Staying Power
Rely On Dependable Winners
The Three Rules of Container TLC
These summer show-off container gardens will brighten up any porch or patio all season long—even in the Southern heat.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 May 2025
Otherwise, this is a visually stunning chassis that will satisfy patient-building component show-offs.
—PCMAG, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for show off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for show off
Verb
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Bevel was horsing around with the Reverend James Orange and Andy Young in the courtyard under King's balcony, according to Orange.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
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But Andrew continued to live at the home and was often seen riding his horse around Windsor Great Park and photographed waving to crowds.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On Marathon Monday, the company stationed the robot at its 888 Boylston Street showroom in Boston, displaying it in front of thousands of runners from roughly 130 countries, as well as hundreds of thousands of spectators.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Apr. 2026
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But the Kohler Foundation, recognizing his creations as powerful visuals of African American history and especially the experiences of Black veterans, purchased hundreds of pieces – documenting, displaying and distributing them to be appreciated across the country and beyond.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Fire crews from Gardner, Rye and Spanish Peaks fire departments and a hotshot crew all responded to the fire, officials said.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
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The trade floor was awash with ’empty’ books that were part of a protest being run by former Silicon Valley hotshot Ed Newton-Rex, who managed to get 10,000 authors to put their name behind the stunt.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Scalping the lawn can assist doveweed's spread by cutting up pieces that root all over the lawn.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Apr. 2026
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In the photo, Hat Rack is seen nestled within the weblike Sculpture for Traveling (1918), a net of rubber shower caps cut up and glued together that Duchamp took on a trip to Buenos Aires.—
Howard Halle,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The famed Concorde Square — with its iconic Egyptian Obelisk — will again show matches on a big screen for free during the second week from June 3-7.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Medical research shows that pregnancy carries substantially higher risks of blood clots, stroke, and cardiovascular complications than hormonal contraception.—
Dr. Céline Gounder,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The wise guys already view Denver suspiciously, casting them with the 12th-best odds to reach the Super Bowl next February.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
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Framing wise guys on murder charges for Whitey Bulger, looking the other way on a gangland hit by a BPD detective in Canton in 1976, the list of scandals is too great to even list them all.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And this fool is taking it with the fools around him.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
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And there’s this: No fooling around in mid-June and having a life event get in the way of the March Madness get-together nine months later.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 2021, scientists at the Kea Animal Minds Lab at the University of Auckland studied Bruce and other non-disabled kea and found that Bruce exhibited unusual preening behavior to compensate for his missing upper beak.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The gallery exhibits artists from North Carolina and around the world.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Show off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/show%20off. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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