showboat 1 of 2

Definition of showboatnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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showboat

2 of 2

noun

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 showboat
Verb
Not even the biggest skeptic of American exceptionalism could deny the talent gap, which has often been so considerable that U.S. teams often take the opportunity to showboat during games, like the Harlem Globetrotters playing against the hapless Washington Generals. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 31 July 2024 Don’t showboat around the bases. John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Apr. 2022
Noun
Still, the factor that may have been most harmful were his relationships with fellow Republican lawmakers, who regarded him as an empty showboat willing to hurt the party to gain attention. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024 Fonseca found Barbosa to be a showboat on Instagram, sure, but also unfailingly polite and generous. Lauren Smiley, WIRED, 10 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for showboat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showboat
Verb
  • Elastico There’s a bit of showing off going on here — but in a good way.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • The city of Fort Worth wants to show off its proposals for how to regulate data centers.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Every cowboy needs a North Star, and for Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan that's his wife, Nicole Sheridan.
    Kaitlin Stevens, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
  • All these cowboys are starting to get along!
    William Earl, Variety, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Its asymmetrical riff on the classic bucket hat takes the usual cut up a notch.
    Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 18 June 2026
  • The new non-stop flights will cut up to four hours off travel time compared to current one-stop services.
    Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • But even in its messiest moments, OFF COURSE foregrounds a sense of playfulness that’s been largely snuffed out by the berserker attack of the Osees’ more recent records.
    Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 18 June 2026
  • Every four years, soccer fans around the globe go berserk over the World Cup, but in host cities like Los Angeles, the worldwide spectacle feels bittersweet and financially out of reach.
    Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
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
Verb
  • The pair sequester themselves in a shed while guests revel outside in the sunshine.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Nebraska fans with seats around the tunnel spotted them, because thousands of Nebraska fans were still in their seats, reveling, the music still thumping in the arena, as if some kind of encore would be happening.
    Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Send any news, comments, Meta predictions, or Costco hotdogs to [email protected].
    Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 3 Feb. 2025
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
  • And this fool is taking it with the fools around him.
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026

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“Showboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showboat. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.

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