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
Relevance
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
Lauren Smiley, WIRED, 10 July 2024
Latimer attacked Bowman as a showboat who cared more about building a national profile on the far left than his district.
—Colby Itkowitz, Washington Post, 26 June 2024
John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Apr. 2022
But that was neither showboating nor talking trash.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for showboat
Verb
Fonseca found Barbosa to be a showboat on Instagram, sure, but also unfailingly polite and generous.
—Lauren Smiley, WIRED, 10 July 2024
Latimer attacked Bowman as a showboat who cared more about building a national profile on the far left than his district.
—Colby Itkowitz, Washington Post, 26 June 2024
Noun
Don’t showboat around the bases.
—John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Apr. 2022
But that was neither showboating nor talking trash.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for showboat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showboat
Verb
-
This Donde Esteban number is the ultimate summer wrap dress with its flattering shape and mini length to show off your legs this season.—
Rana Good,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Drake posted a mirror selfie in front of his bar on his Instagram on June 28, which showed off his fitness regimen along with his six-pack of abs.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Quirky roadside figures include giant cowboys, lumberjacks, and dinosaurs.—
Pat Tompkins,
AFAR Media,
18 June 2025
-
Irish actor Jack Hudson has signed for the cast of feature adaptation of Matthew Dickens’s comic The Devil’s Train about Hollywood stuntman Hondo, who has a double life as a time-travelling cowboy.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
Maria is a former basketball player for the University of New Orleans Maria cut up the court herself, as a Division I basketball player for the University of New Orleans from 1993 to 1996, per the Rutgers University website.—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
25 June 2025
-
Video and phone recordings showed Frey cutting up a rubber glove, filling it with something and stuffing the package into an arrow shaft during a call with Smith.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Umberto Rispoli squeezed between horses around the top of the stretch and then rode Journalism to a tremendous rally.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
24 May 2025
-
Fayetteville Sad Palomino’s Will King releases a collection of home recordings In between horsing around with his longtime band Sad Palomino, Will King has been recording and trying to decide the best way to share songs, mostly written during winters from 2020 to 2025.—
Monica Hooper,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2025
Verb
-
Milan’s Chukwueze revelled on this stage, exciting fans further with a number skilful runs on the ball.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
-
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
Verb
-
Those have come from two players: Adrian Morejon of the San Diego Padres, who throws an odd knuckleball-changeup hybrid about 1 percent of the time, and Jonah Bride of the Minnesota Twins, an infielder fooling around with the knuckler in blowouts.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
-
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
Verb
-
Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff A neighborhood park rises again Excavators rumble and dump trucks roar, even on weekends.—
Melanie Stetson Freeman,
Christian Science Monitor,
20 June 2025
-
The arena, roaring just a few minutes before at the start, quieted quickly.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Showboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showboat. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share