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
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
The capri is back and the perfect canvas to show off your most attention-getting shoes.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 15 Feb. 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
The 6-7, 248-pound Dominican righty also showed off plenty of spin.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
The capri is back and the perfect canvas to show off your most attention-getting shoes.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 15 Feb. 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
-
In April 2020, Iglesias shared a video of him horsing around with Lucy and Nicholas as the pair attempted to climb on his back for a ride.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
19 Jan. 2026
-
At this point in time, my little AI company, a lean and mean group of passionate believers, is horsing around fine-tuning the product, living on a couple of angel investments, where a 10X return on few million dollars is very satisfying, not only to the angel, but also to the employees.—
Neil Senturia,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
These boats have the vertical launch system (VLS), which could be used to fire new high-speed anti-ship missiles displayed at China’s Victory Day parade in Beijing last fall.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The report states that Jackson -- who is listed as a DoorDash driver in the report -- was identified as the driver and only occupant of a car involved in a road rage incident on Interstate 630 in which a gun was displayed and pointed at the driver of another vehicle.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This early moment in mid-February belongs to Benge, the 23-year-old hotshot prospect who has a chance at cracking the Mets’ roster.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Move over, Quentin Tarantino, there’s a new hotshot celebrity restoring old movie palaces to their former glory.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her voice is intimate and resonant, whether cut up into indistinct background flurries or pushed to the front of the mix.—
Alex Robert Ross,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Such a potato is cut up into sections, each having a sprout or two.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On Wednesday in a season baseball opener, Sheffer showed his improved power at the plate, delivering two doubles, while also showing off his speed with an infield single and stolen base.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Emails also show Aidan's apparent close relationship with Terje Rød-Larsen, a high-profile Norwegian diplomat facing scrutiny over contacts with Epstein, along with his wife.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Bella Ramsey takes a break from killing zombies and avenging father figures, their usual pastimes in series The Last of Us, to fool around and fall in love in Sunny Dancer, a decidedly uneven but fitfully charming, YA-skewed British comedy-drama.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The model was critiqued by the judging panel for not exhibiting much emotion in her photos.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Navalnaya said her husband exhibited no instances of heart disease before he was imprisoned.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Show off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/show%20off. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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