as in pomp
excessive or unnecessary display
service that is the essence of swank: the waiters pull out your chair for you and even place your napkin on your lap
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or swanky
as in loud
excessively showy
drove up in a red sports car, the swank interior of which was decorated in silver and black
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 swank
Essence, 14 Oct. 2025
Find it: Level one, Bloomingdale’s wing A swank yet still casual restaurant offering classic American fare with a focus on seasonal, local ingredients.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
The swanky townhouse has popped up elsewhere on screen, too.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
This Bible swanks a custom embossing of the inauguration date, and like other Bibles in the collection, it is written in the King James translation and includes historic American documents, like the text of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swank
Noun
To further set the scene for the night, we were welcomed into a swank, jazz club-esque venue called The Sun Rose Room located in Hollywood’s Sun Rose Hotel.
—Essence, 14 Oct. 2025
Find it: Level one, Bloomingdale’s wing A swank yet still casual restaurant offering classic American fare with a focus on seasonal, local ingredients.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Warehouses and old buildings have been converted into swanky wine bars, walk-up taco stands, and eclectic hangouts such as Satellite Bar & Lounge, a tavern where taxidermy, vintage couches, and a wide selection of craft brews bring in a diverse crowd.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
The swanky townhouse has popped up elsewhere on screen, too.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
What the Voice of the People is saying is: ‘Look at that frightful ass Spode swanking about in footer bags.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
This Bible swanks a custom embossing of the inauguration date, and like other Bibles in the collection, it is written in the King James translation and includes historic American documents, like the text of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swank
Noun
-
Trump likes Charles and royal pomp, but there are potential flashpoints, not least the administration’s recent comments about UK sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There had been one ceremony after another for the Kings’ all-time leading scorer, but Anže Kopitar’s farewell game was largely bereft of pomp, circumstance and, for his squad, offense.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The post drew loud boos from the crowd.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
1 May 2026
-
This misguided motion by a Democratic Socialist councilmember deserves a loud, emphatic no vote from the full City Council.—
Matt Klink,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
After Mullins was killed, police interviewed a man who said Mullins had bragged to him about killing Watkins, when the two were housed in a Bay Area jail together, authorities said in court filings.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The winning grade gets recognized with a special hot breakfast or bragging tags for their backpacks.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Guests at the preview got a peek at table decorations and other aesthetic concepts for the ball, which raises money to benefit San Diego-area nonprofits.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
Besides decorations at the airport, two more streetcars are to be wrapped by early May.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
This means no two sensors are exactly alike, leading to noisy data and inconsistent results.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Lesser known but notably noisier acts were relegated to another section of the grounds, where the Diablo Stage stood, attracting non-stop aggressive movement.—
Lina Lecaro,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The advertisement opened with a backside shot of a man clothed in Levi’s jeans, a western shirt and leather gloves, swaggering up to a pair of saloon doors.—
Jack Armstrong,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
And in the nation’s third-largest city, home to one of the most rambunctious celebrations of the holiday, young partygoers were eager to swagger between bars and parties with the drinks, usually dyed kelly green.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But, even if Church’s propensity to recruit nature for heavy-handed symbolism can seem too much today, something about his work—some combination of thrilling ambition, tact tethered to empiricism, and loving tenderness—continues to magnetize our spectacle-jaded eyes.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The 28-year-old's absence breaks a four-year streak of attending the fashion spectacle dating back to 2022.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
It is surrounded by appliqué ornamentation reflecting the decorative arts of each culture and an ornate frieze around the periphery.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Cruise ships release passengers daily to see the bright, ornate facades lining the harbor.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swank. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
