1
as in to horse around
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 to display
to present so as to invite notice or attention
she just wants to show off her new jewelry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hotshot
informal + disapproving
a person who tries to impress other people with his or her abilities or possessions
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of show off
Nichole Marks, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
The Factbook showed off American intelligence capabilities to the former Soviet Union and other enemies.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 May 2025
Otherwise, this is a visually stunning chassis that will satisfy patient-building component show-offs.
—PCMAG, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for show off
Verb
Keeping it rolling and chanting and showing off — a culture in full bloom, too pretty, too rooted to fade … just yet.
—Nichole Marks, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
The Factbook showed off American intelligence capabilities to the former Soviet Union and other enemies.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
In This Article Take It Easy With Greens Pick a Combo With Staying Power
Rely On Dependable Winners
The Three Rules of Container TLC
These summer show-off container gardens will brighten up any porch or patio all season long—even in the Southern heat.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 May 2025
Otherwise, this is a visually stunning chassis that will satisfy patient-building component show-offs.
—PCMAG, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for show off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for show off
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
-
But Andrew continued to live at the home and was often seen riding his horse around Windsor Great Park and photographed waving to crowds.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Keanu Reeves posed hand-in-hand with girlfriend Alexandra Grant, displaying some subtle PDA at the New York City premiere of Apple TV+'s 'Outcome' on April 6.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
7 Apr. 2026
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OpenAI ChatGPT website displayed on a laptop screen is seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on September 9, 2024.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fire crews from Gardner, Rye and Spanish Peaks fire departments and a hotshot crew all responded to the fire, officials said.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The trade floor was awash with ’empty’ books that were part of a protest being run by former Silicon Valley hotshot Ed Newton-Rex, who managed to get 10,000 authors to put their name behind the stunt.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the photo, Hat Rack is seen nestled within the weblike Sculpture for Traveling (1918), a net of rubber shower caps cut up and glued together that Duchamp took on a trip to Buenos Aires.—
Howard Halle,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
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The premiere episode will be cut up into 21 short segments, each about three minutes long, going live on Sunday morning on the video platform and remaining available for six weeks.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kaley denied being abused or neglected, though Meta’s attorneys did show some Instagram posts about her mother screaming at her.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
During the chase, Leatherman used highly dangerous evasive moves on local roads, open fields and residential properties, court documents show.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The wise guys already view Denver suspiciously, casting them with the 12th-best odds to reach the Super Bowl next February.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Framing wise guys on murder charges for Whitey Bulger, looking the other way on a gangland hit by a BPD detective in Canton in 1976, the list of scandals is too great to even list them all.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And this fool is taking it with the fools around him.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
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And there’s this: No fooling around in mid-June and having a life event get in the way of the March Madness get-together nine months later.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Zipp exhibited widely in his lifetime and occasionally opened exhibitions with performances from his various musical projects.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The Swiss chocolatier Lindt even published research this month showing consumers of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic exhibited greater demand for high-end candy — apparently driven by a desire for small luxuries.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Show off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/show%20off. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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