1
as in cuts 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
Relevance
2
as in displays
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
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 shows off
Danielle Fishel shows off her girly side in florals at the Hulu Get Real House event in Los Angeles on April 22.
—
Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Jelly tends to be sweeter and more gel-like than jam, with a translucent finish that shows off the fruit's natural color.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Jin shows off his mesmerizing, masterful knife skills.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
At the beginning of her music video, Latto shows off her baby bump, a nursery, and includes home videos from her childhood.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
In the next video, shared on Thursday, Crowe proudly shows off his new watch.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2026
His point was that the abundant regeneration that Hanson shows off represents scorch, where heat opened the cones to release the multitude of seeds.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Here’s another impressive save from that same game, in which Bobrovsky shows off all of these details.
—Jesse Granger, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Nine graduate students in the art school have moved their thesis shows off-campus to express solidarity with Quiñonez.
—Uwa Ede-Osifo, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Jelly tends to be sweeter and more gel-like than jam, with a translucent finish that shows off the fruit's natural color.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Jin shows off his mesmerizing, masterful knife skills.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
At the beginning of her music video, Latto shows off her baby bump, a nursery, and includes home videos from her childhood.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
In the next video, shared on Thursday, Crowe proudly shows off his new watch.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2026
His point was that the abundant regeneration that Hanson shows off represents scorch, where heat opened the cones to release the multitude of seeds.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Here’s another impressive save from that same game, in which Bobrovsky shows off all of these details.
—Jesse Granger, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Nine graduate students in the art school have moved their thesis shows off-campus to express solidarity with Quiñonez.
—Uwa Ede-Osifo, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shows off
Verb
-
The new congressional map in Virginia effectively cuts up the state’s 11 House districts to give Democrats an advantage in 10 of them.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
-
How to Prune Viburnum Use sharp hand pruners for smaller cuts up to the diameter of a pencil, and loppers or a pruning saw for larger cuts.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Two high-profile shows at the same time—and yet, her countenance displays no sign of exhaustion.—
Dennis Braatz,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 May 2026
-
An operating license for a dilapidated Boba tea kiosk displays a 2024 expiration date.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.—
Stephen Whyno,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
-
Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.—
Stephen Whyno,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The venue will have 72 paintings upstairs and downstairs, said Janet Keto, exhibits chairperson for the North County Society of Fine Arts.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
-
But as a former high school linebacker who bulked up in college from 220 pounds to his current weight of 310, van den Berg exhibits good vision and a strong feel for the game.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Koutouvides transitioned to life after football, found success in real estate development throughout Connecticut, but the pain of losing the Super Bowl twinges and acts up like an old joint injury.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
According to the Wall Street Journal, new data shows the growth of xAI’s two-year old chatbot, Grok, has stagnated.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
14 May 2026
-
Resident video shows aftermath Initial video released Sunday by a nearby resident showed officers running along the light‑rail tracks toward a person, and one officer kicking away what appears to be a gun from the individual on the ground.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Janet Jackson flashes a smile onstage as her 1989 album Rhythm Nation 1814 is inducted at the 2026 Grammy Hall of Fame ceremony in Los Angeles on May 8.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
-
Opening with the lead character found dead in a ditch, the film flashes backward to piece together her life from the memories of others, creating a fragmented portrait of an enigmatic young woman’s life.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Starbucks unveils summer merch collections, including Miffy collab Starbucks also teased two new merchandise collections that will be released this summer, including one that is a collaboration with Miffy, the popular rabbit cartoon character.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
The resort unveils new and updated features every year—in 2026, look for Aquavia Lumina, a nighttime walk through a canyon with lights, projections, and music that immerses you in a story world.—
Jess Hoffert,
Midwest Living,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shows off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shows%20off. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
