1
as in cutting up
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
the athletes warmed up, happily showing off for the crowd before the match officially started
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in displaying
to present so as to invite notice or attention
she just wants to show off her new jewelry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of showing off
Now the dog is back to bothering her brother and showing off her sassy personality.
—
Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Emma Roberts demonstrated this perfectly on May 6, showing off the red shoe trend on the streets of New York for a shoot with Adidas and Nordstrom.
—Katharina Fuchs, Glamour, 9 May 2026
The 28-year-old influencer, showing off a noticeably different silhouette, sparked fresh questions, as experts point to a growing shift toward more natural results.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
Another social media post on the day of the opening showed a large crowd waiting out front, and customers showing off their purchases.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The fandom has been showing off their outfit prep on social media in anticipation of his set.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Social media lit up on Wednesday when users noticed an Instagram reel posted by the Minnesota balloon company showing off its collaboration with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.
—Jackie Powell, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
Dolly Parton is showing off her latest Good American collection.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
In the years since Boogie Nights, Leo has made an unlikely hit out of The Man in the Iron Mask, then took the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, showing off his range and turning that surreal and often horrifying movie into another $100 million feather in his cap.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Emma Roberts demonstrated this perfectly on May 6, showing off the red shoe trend on the streets of New York for a shoot with Adidas and Nordstrom.
—Katharina Fuchs, Glamour, 9 May 2026
The 28-year-old influencer, showing off a noticeably different silhouette, sparked fresh questions, as experts point to a growing shift toward more natural results.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
Another social media post on the day of the opening showed a large crowd waiting out front, and customers showing off their purchases.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The fandom has been showing off their outfit prep on social media in anticipation of his set.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Social media lit up on Wednesday when users noticed an Instagram reel posted by the Minnesota balloon company showing off its collaboration with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.
—Jackie Powell, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
Dolly Parton is showing off her latest Good American collection.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
In the years since Boogie Nights, Leo has made an unlikely hit out of The Man in the Iron Mask, then took the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, showing off his range and turning that surreal and often horrifying movie into another $100 million feather in his cap.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showing off
Verb
-
In the carousel of photos, McGillivray is seen cutting up food and raising it to Hogan's husband Steven Oleksy's mouth.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
-
Scalping the lawn can assist doveweed's spread by cutting up pieces that root all over the lawn.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then in late April, the city deployed an AI translation service for the first time at a public hearing, with large screens displaying the Spanish and English translation of comments by city council members and members of the public in real-time.—
Mariana Navarrete Villegas,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
-
What appears to be a group of teens then sprints by, including at least one displaying a gun.—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
15 May 2026
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
Verb
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To make everything even more Guy Ritchie–riffic, the director intercuts some of these scenes with a recipe for a stovetop negroni svegliato, complete with the ingredients flashing on the screen.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
It has been expanded twice since then and now includes vehicles with flashing amber or white lights.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
However, there is no definitive national ranking from 2013 showing Los Angeles and New York City tied as the safest big cities in the country.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Fourth, epidemiologists suspect that hantavirus is most contagious when an infected person is showing symptoms, whereas SARS-CoV-2 can readily be transmitted by seemingly healthy people.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
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
Verb
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After four years exhibiting at the TEFAF Maastricht art fair, the Hong Kong high jewelry firm Forms is making its first appearance at TEFAF New York, the smaller sibling of the iconic Netherlands fair.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Nearby a glass wall that overlooked the second floor of exhibiting galleries, Sharon Stone was sharing photos of her own paintings with Frieze executive Simon Fox.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Showing off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showing%20off. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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