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

Related Words

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
Paulina Porizkova’s sons showed off their musical talents at her wedding to Jeff Greenstein. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 18 July 2026 Cameron doesn't waste a second of that time, however, establishing characters (see above), introducing Newt, showing off the geography of the Hadley's Hope terraforming base, and building a creeping sense of dread. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 July 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
  • Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.
    — Stephen Whyno, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
  • Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.
    — Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
Definition of horse around
Verb
  • Various jerseys from throughout his athletic career were displayed in frames on either side of the casket, including his football jerseys from Ocean Springs High School and Mississippi Community College in Summit, Miss.
    — Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
  • In her first-round loss, Williams displayed powerful serves while her daughters Olympia and Adira Ohanian looked on.
    — Lynda Lin Grigsby, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of display
Noun
  • Adapted from Elle Kennedy’s novels of the same name and following a group of friends at the fictional Briar University, Season 1 is about Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli), a young hockey hotshot and Hannah Wells (Ella Bright), a bubbly music major.
    — Arushi Jacob, Variety, 22 June 2026
  • Gao and his three cofounders aren’t your conventional AI hotshots with credentials from leading AI labs or Stanford University.
    — Ben Weiss, Fortune, 1 June 2026
Definition of hotshot
Verb
  • The director planned to film the killing of a live donkey, which would be cut up for food by actors portraying laborers.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
  • Unusual colorways and short production runs contribute to rarity, and uncut original lengths are prized, since most bolts have been cut up and used.
    — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026
Definition of cut up
Verb
  • Justice John Dixon said Bauer Media had failed to show the claims made about Wilson were substantially true or trivial.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Techradar’s recent survey on consumer attitudes to AI shows a drop in the use of AI services such as Gemini and ChatGPT.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of show
Noun
  • The show follows Chickie (Pompeo) and Doreen, two estranged half-sisters who are both struggling to get by when their wise guy dad unexpectedly kicks the bucket.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 July 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
  • 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
  • Zeus did not approve of his daughter fooling around with this mortal roughneck hunter and put out a hit on Orion.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Definition of fool around
Verb
  • Like most elephant seals, Neil exhibits natal philopatry, returning to his unusual birthplace for molting and social development.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Many in France and elsewhere have objected to the tapestry’s removal from the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Normandy, where it has been exhibited since 1983.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of exhibit

Browse Nearby Words

shown up (for)
show off
show-off
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Cite this Entry

“Show off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/show%20off. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on show off

Nglish: Translation of show off for Spanish Speakers

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