as in cocky
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1
as in boasting
to praise or express pride in one's own possessions, qualities, or accomplishments often to excess
I, too, would swagger if I'd won first place in the bowling tournament
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strutting
to walk with exaggerated arm and leg movements
hoping to impress the women at the bar, the young man confidently swaggered across the room
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Recent Examples of swaggering
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Their mother began a relationship with a swaggering alcoholic, their future stepfather, who mocked Scott for being soft.
—Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
His swaggering boots remained powerfully on.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Josh Safdie takes us on a chaotic, sprawling globetrot to break down the swaggering hubris of a ping-pong prodigy who can’t being insufferable.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025
Plus, Jude Law brings his movie star charisma as the swaggering pirate captain Jod Na Nawood, who helps the kids find their way back home (for reasons far from mere goodwill).
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Gudsen's fractured identity—swaggering machismo versus devoted family man—might suggest dissociative identity disorder, but Lehane resists reducing him to a clinical label.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
Schmitt is easygoing inside the Capitol and a swaggering culture warrior outside of it.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2025
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
With his deathly pallor and Byronic charm, Stamp was perfect as the self-destructive, swaggering scoundrel who is haunted by visions of a spectral little girl.
—Christina Newland, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
On it, Sombr elevates the bedroom pop of his earlier work, giving it a more muscular, swaggering sound.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
With that, the trio of Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas come swaggering and smiling from the wings, strolling to the tip of a catwalk together, the professional differences that splintered their brotherly union for a spell neatly compartmentalized for 2 ½-hours of polished pop digested by adoring fans.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Needless to say, Farrell’s swaggering performance in Minority Report launched his career and was soon followed by major roles in Phone Booth, Daredevil and Alexander.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Their mother began a relationship with a swaggering alcoholic, their future stepfather, who mocked Scott for being soft.
—Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
His swaggering boots remained powerfully on.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Josh Safdie takes us on a chaotic, sprawling globetrot to break down the swaggering hubris of a ping-pong prodigy who can’t being insufferable.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025
Plus, Jude Law brings his movie star charisma as the swaggering pirate captain Jod Na Nawood, who helps the kids find their way back home (for reasons far from mere goodwill).
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Gudsen's fractured identity—swaggering machismo versus devoted family man—might suggest dissociative identity disorder, but Lehane resists reducing him to a clinical label.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
Schmitt is easygoing inside the Capitol and a swaggering culture warrior outside of it.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
Oscar Isaac‘s Victor Frankenstein is part 18th-century dandy and part swaggering Swinging Sixties rock star, as if Lord Byron had been genetically spliced with Brian Jones.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
With his deathly pallor and Byronic charm, Stamp was perfect as the self-destructive, swaggering scoundrel who is haunted by visions of a spectral little girl.
—Christina Newland, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
On it, Sombr elevates the bedroom pop of his earlier work, giving it a more muscular, swaggering sound.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
With that, the trio of Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas come swaggering and smiling from the wings, strolling to the tip of a catwalk together, the professional differences that splintered their brotherly union for a spell neatly compartmentalized for 2 ½-hours of polished pop digested by adoring fans.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swaggering
Adjective
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But his subtle brush-off of Collins is a sign of the cocky and brash kid already beginning to emerge — the same one who could cut down people down to size on his way to redefining himself and jolting both the New York folk scene and the world of pop at large.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
26 Oct. 2025
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Don’t come on too hard or cocky; give practical reasons that showcase how your experience will benefit the company.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Despite boasting one of the highest payrolls in baseball, New York failed to reach the postseason, closing out the regular season with an 83-79 record.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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In 2013, after seeing the sweaters’ popularity among customers, Turner took his business off the road and into his first brick-and-mortar holiday pop-up shop, boasting an inventory of 10,000 sweaters.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Weeks later, the Colombian superstar was strutting the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
30 Oct. 2025
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At this coastal resort in Carlsbad, arriving pets are given neckerchiefs before strutting the grounds.—
Beth Landman,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Smith’s ever-present sense of destiny, her mystical optimism, and her penchant for rebellion make for reminiscences that can sound at once bombastic and humble, half-invented and visceral.—
Amy Weiss-Meyer,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
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The official trailer is nearly three minutes long and is stuffed with bombastic special effects, intense emotion (a lot of tears), plenty of action and one mean Vecna.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Snyder, who has since penned a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle bragging about his Dungeons & Dragons skills, is awaiting trial separately at the Stanton Correctional Facility.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Oct. 2025
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California has slipped a notch in the bragging-rights totem pole to the world’s fifth-largest economy in the latest update on global business output.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ferrari’s latest one-off is a tribute to one of the most legendary prancing horses of them all.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
20 Oct. 2025
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Plus, the icy pastel hues are reminiscent of ballerinas prancing in The Nutcracker.—
Brandi Fuller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This boastful message came just days after her match with Maxxine Dupri, where Lynch intentionally used her championship belt as a weapon.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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Of course, people make boastful statements of dubious merit all the time, but, as our story explains, Robinson has monetized his fantasies by selling development masterclasses to aspiring writers and offering other services for a fee.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Removing some of the deeper-developing routes also limits Justin Jefferson’s best strength, his long-striding deception.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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Daedone, using the hashtags #ErosOnTrial, #EroticJustice, #liberation, and #womenspower, frequently posted on Instagram, showing pictures and slow-motion videos of herself and Cherwitz, often flanked by female OneTaste supporters, striding into the courthouse.—
Thessaly La Force,
New Yorker,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swaggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swaggering. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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