as in revels
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 showboats
Noun
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All skill levels welcome for horseback riding, but non-cowboys can choose from a wealth of other activities.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026 -
But the federal cowboys who flooded Minnesota streets actually ran headfirst into the state’s formidable civil society — a network of civically engaged people and organizations that makes this a risky place for the federal government to pick a fight with its own citizens.—
Eric Roper,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Options laid out in an Interior Department study of new operating rules absent a seven-state solution envision Lower Basin cuts up to twice what the Southwestern states have suggested.—
Brandon Loomis,
AZCentral.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After boarding, the Full House star shows off his best straight face.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
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His multicourse omakase shows off the chef’s restrained minimalist Edomae style and love of aged fish.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But if your transmission acts up or your steering system goes haywire, car insurance won't help you.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
5 Dec. 2025
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In the cold and austere German winter (a far cry from Dakar’s physical and cultural warmth), an anxious Nourou acts up outside a hotel and is accosted by a Polish security guard, setting off a minor chain reaction in which Maja intervenes on his behalf, much to his chagrin.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There where the long street roars, hath been The stillness of the central sea.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Hisatsune sent roars through the stadium par-3 16th by sinking a 7-foot birdie putt and smiled sheepishly at his chip in on 17 after hitting his tee shot left into the pond.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Showboats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showboats. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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