showboating

verb

present participle of showboat
as in hotdogging
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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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for showboating
  1. reveling
  2. horsing around
  3. cutting up
  4. showing off
  5. fooling around
  6. acting up
  7. roaring
Verb
  • When the Black Queen’s message arrives in the Riverlands, the king consort, lil’ Oscar Tully, and their new pal Roddy the Ruin are busy reveling, making up ballads dedicated to their own derring-do.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 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
Definition of reveling
Verb
  • Bevel was horsing around with the Reverend James Orange and Andy Young in the courtyard under King's balcony, according to Orange.
    — Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
  • 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
Definition of horsing around
Verb
  • Using unseen footage from Presley’s 1969 to 1976 Las Vegas residency, the movie plays the hits – plus The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel – but also showcases his sense of humor, quipping with crowds and cutting up with bandmates.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 June 2026
  • Always cutting up and making memories.
    — Hedy Phillips, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
Definition of cutting up
Verb
  • Acuff found a rhythm in the second quarter, demonstrating his three-level scoring ability while showing off his court vision with some beautiful assists.
    — Jason Anderson July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • One store associate named Ann was featured on the corporate Walmart account showing off items tourists can’t miss during their first trip.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
Definition of showing off
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of fooling around
Verb
  • Baye continued acting up until 2023.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
  • The capsule’s toilet is already acting up.
    — Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of acting up
Verb
  • The Pasadena property provided only the exterior, made iconic by the show’s establishing shot with the Batmobile roaring down the drive.
    — David Hochman, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • San Francisco serves as a prime example of how the roaring AI industry is helping drive economic growth more broadly, but masking the economic inequality of lower-and-middle-income families.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Definition of roaring
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.

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showboated
showboating
showboats
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Cite this Entry

“Showboating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showboating. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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