as in to show off
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
the gymnast was showboating for the cameras when she lost her balance and fell
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of showboat
Justin Chang, chicagotribune.com, 12 Sep. 2019
Three quarters of sleepwalking, showboating and unwatchable basketball, followed by one quarter of the most intense and least-artistic basketball of the season.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 16 Feb. 2020
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2024
Her character, Corrine, is bold and sparkly, the kind of showboat who leaps atop a bar to belt Wham!
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023
See All Example Sentences for showboat
Verb
There are no showboating gestures here, only a bone-deep commitment to showing us the lives of individuals often relegated to the cinematic sidelines, to the extent that the movies even notice them all.
—Justin Chang, chicagotribune.com, 12 Sep. 2019
Three quarters of sleepwalking, showboating and unwatchable basketball, followed by one quarter of the most intense and least-artistic basketball of the season.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 16 Feb. 2020
Noun
Keoghan’s performance is a bit of a showboat stunt (he’s supposed to be a terrible father but doesn’t seem like a father at all).
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2024
Her character, Corrine, is bold and sparkly, the kind of showboat who leaps atop a bar to belt Wham!
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023
See All Example Sentences for showboat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showboat
Verb
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Older workers should focus on upscaling — gaining new skills or boosting their current skill set — to help show off their skills to employers, said Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
1 May 2025
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Ramona Singer is showing off her body in all of its unfiltered glory.—
Starr Bowenbank,
People.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Western Wear Designer Dymond Taylor Dating a cowboy opened her eyes to an opportunity in Houston.—
Tariro Mzezewa,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
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Expect food vendors, family-friendly activities and special tributes to the cowboys who came before.—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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So the final suit cuts up around his neck, and the floral embellishment on his clothes ties him into all of that.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2025
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Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/4 cup each shortening and cold butter, cut up, until pieces are pea size.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There’s an arming-up montage in which every regular person stranded on a cursed island filled with undead is suddenly a tactical weapons expert, and that leads into a berserker sequence featuring actual game footage cut into the movie.—
Jordan Crucchiola,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025
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This annual meteor shower tends to go berserk every 33 years, but sadly, the next bonanza isn't due until 2032-33, according to Sky At Night.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
29 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Quit horsing around — the Clydesdales are back!—
Breanne L. Heldman,
People.com,
10 Feb. 2025
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In the video, Payne is shown horsing around with a large outdoor crowd and his bandmates, encouraging the fans to quiet their screaming and then raise the volume all the way back up.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
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First up, while people are revelling following the verdict, the emotional intensity of reaction can be traced to a sense of loss.—
Callum Booth,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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Key speeches are faithfully delivered to an audience of two, not thousands; a scene of soldiers destructively revelling on a bridge is given a different spirit by ironic, out-of-time horseplay.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
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As Molly and Guy start to fool around, things get hot and heavy, but Ernie has a job to do.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
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Plotwise, four teens who grew up with technology and like to fool around on their laptops invading various verboten sites and having a great time doing it one day happen upon a bright idea.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Stock futures were roaring into the green Wednesday after President Trump pulled back from threats to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell — the latest twist in a week of market-moving chaos.—
Catherine Baab,
Quartz,
23 Apr. 2025
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The apocalypse doesn’t come roaring in with a bang.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Showboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showboat. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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